


Club Dishabille

by ArdenAoide



Series: Tame Trilogy [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Fetish, HEA, Kink, Light BDSM, Romance, Sexting, Spanking, Texting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-18
Updated: 2014-06-03
Packaged: 2018-01-09 02:49:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 50,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1140550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArdenAoide/pseuds/ArdenAoide
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“How much do you think you can take?”</p><p>Dishabille: The state of being only partly or scantily clothed. It's the perfect name for Miranda Marchand's nightclub. For her brother, Alexander, it is the perfect place to find women who can fulfill his every desire. While his kinks aren't uncommon, his affections run too fast and too deep for the cautious and aloof. He has given up on finding the one who can embrace his impulsiveness. For Dahlia Warwick, Club Dishabille is the gateway to a sensuous new world. A world she craves. Dahlia meets with Miranda with a seemingly simple task: To help her find a man who would be patient enough to guide her through her submissive fantasies, but not dismiss her fears. Miranda knows that Dahlia is not one for play that doesn't involve her heart, and she knows one man who could guide and teach her, to worship and to love. It's a rapid awakening for both Alex and Dahlia, quickly laying trust and intimacy on the table. Club Dishabille spanks the genre of romance and gives the readers the hearts and flowers they love and only the palest of pink bottoms. It is a sexy tale for those who aren't looking for Cinderella or Prince Charming. It is a feast for those who want it a little bit rougher.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This book can be downloaded for free at Amazon, iTunes, B&N, and anywhere else ebooks are sold.

**CLUB DISHABILLE**

 

**A tale of Alex and Dahlia, of foolish love gone right.**

**Please don't try this at home.**

 

 

 

 

**Chapter 1**

 

 

“ _Men have forgotten this truth,” said the fox. “But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose...”_ — _Antoine de Saint-Exupery_

 

 

Dahlia was two seconds from doing a runner. She sat perched on the edge of the bar stool, fiddling with the straw in her whiskey and Coke, wondering if she really had the nerve to continue on with this conversation. The woman across from her at the bar didn’t seem to judge her, but why should she? She owned the club. 

“Well, normally we just get people in here who want to dabble. We surprisingly get more couples than individuals, but the individuals, like I said, are mainly just curious. Their curiosity for those types of games don’t last as far as I can tell, and they become curious about other things. They still come here, but they tend to look for other distractions.” The club owner, Miranda Marchand, took a sip of her ginger ale and glanced back at Dahlia. The woman could barely look her in the eye. “Have you tried looking at individual ads in the _Chronicle_?”

Dahlia looked up at her, brushing her wayward brown curls out of her face. “Yeah, um, meeting strange men in desolate places is all anyone would offer. I think they thought it would be a part of the appeal. That’s why I thought a club would be better. More people, you know?” She shrugged. “I don’t know what the norm is.”

“Most people don’t. Most think a little spanking and handcuffs for the evening and they’re suddenly experienced in the lifestyle–”

“But I don’t know if I’m really interested in everything about the lifestyle,” Dahlia cut in quickly. “The Internet would have you believe that it’s all latex and torture devices, but I’m interested in the intimacy of it, of pleasing someone with my submission. Of growing with someone. Could you imagine a want ad for that?” She laughed humorlessly.

“Maybe if you put your ad in a church bulletin.” Miranda smiled. “Wanted: Single male needed to discipline female who may or may not like pain. No latex or torture devices.”

That shocked a laugh out of Dahlia. “I may not mind a little latex or torture, but I think there would need to be some level of trust. Maybe it’s not what’s usually done, but I’d like to get to know a person a little first, talk, or exchange some emails. I just can’t imagine walking into something with my head down and allowing a perfect stranger to smack me around for my pleasure.” Dahlia paused and looked Miranda in the eye. “Maybe I’m high maintenance, but I’d like a strong verbal relationship. The talking bit is my real kink, I think. It’s the one that I think is the hardest to pull off. A man with a way with words and whom I trusted, could probably talk me into anything, latex and torture devices included.”

Miranda nodded. “You’re right. Men get on top of you and grunt nonsense in your ear, but it only takes a few phrases from them to change the tone of the whole experience.” Miranda studied Dahlia for a moment. She was pretty with her mess of shoulder length curls and short, black, jersey cotton dress. Miranda was also about a head taller, maybe a bit more, but Miranda had been blessed with her father’s height. Unlike her baby brother who was a few inches shorter. Speaking of Alex, she wondered if her brother would be interested. He was the only man that she knew personally that could have the patience and desire to try with Dahlia Warwick. He’d never been able to find a woman who was willing to allow him any of his needs for more than a night or two. He’d given up looking, Miranda thought to herself, so she wasn’t sure he’d agree, but she would ask anyway. He was the reason she'd called to arrange a meeting with Dahlia. 

Dahlia interrupted her thoughts. “So that’s why I wanted to talk to you. I just wondered if you had any advice. Should I take my chances and come on a Friday night? Or...?”

“Well, you can certainly do that if you want, but give me a few days. Matchmaking isn’t usually one of my services, but as it happens I might know someone. He’s sort of off the scene, but he might be interested,” Miranda said, standing. It was time to get the club ready for the night. 

“Why is he off the scene, or is that too personal?” Dahlia asked, standing as well. 

Miranda thought for a moment and sighed. “He’s very serious,” Miranda hedged. “And what was fun for a while just wasn’t very fulfilling to him. He wanted more than what was offered to him.” She wanted to say more, but she didn’t know how far she could go without being a gossip, or betraying her brother’s trust. She felt as if she might have said too much.

Dahlia nodded and took a nervous breath. “Alright. I’ll wait, then. Do you think he’ll agree?”

Miranda shrugged. “I think he won’t at first, but curiosity could possibly change his mind.” Then she remembered something. “What is it you do, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Dahlia, taken off guard by the question, answered anyway. “Mostly I’m just a mom helping my daughter get through her high school years, but I work as a CPA. My ex-husband and I own a building around the corner from here. We mostly work with businesses.”

“So, you know your way around a computer?” Miranda asked.

“Sure. Did you need help with something?” Dahlia asked, a bit puzzled, but she had time to help if Miranda needed it.”

Miranda laughed a little. “No, no, just wondering, but maybe during tax time, though you’re probably swamped.” 

Dahlia nodded. “I am, but we run an efficient company and we wouldn’t say no to another client.”

“You’re on good terms then, yes?” Miranda asked as she walked Dahlia out of the club to her car. It was ridiculously hot outside and even after living in Texas all her life, Miranda still wasn't used to it. And it was only July. “You and your ex?”

“Yes. We really should have never gotten married. We thought after I got pregnant that it was the best thing, but we just aren’t all that attracted to each other,” Dahlia said, telling a palatable version of the truth.

“You must have been attracted to each other at some point,” Miranda said.

“Not so much attraction, just alcohol. We seem to like each other a lot if it’s been awhile and we drink together. Luckily, I learned a couple years ago to stop doing that.” Dahlia smiled and leaned against her car. “He’s my best friend and a great dad, and I don’t know why we’re not attracted to each other. It would be easier,” she sighed. “I like where we’re at now, though. Callie, our daughter, can work us both over now.”

Miranda laughed, but was still slightly confused. “You’d think that living together for so long, you’d eventually develop something more.” She wondered if there was something going on. Maybe he was gay. Or maybe Dahlia was a horrible nag. Alex would kill her if that were the case. Unless he gets to punish her for it, Miranda thought with a smirk.

“You’d think,” Dahlia said wryly. “In many ways it did. We’re very loyal to each other. Our friendship deepened substantially. I was becoming very bitter towards the lack of intimacy and he faked his way through when he could. I realized that I had to make a choice: Stay and become bitter or we split amicably. I chose the latter.” She shrugged negligently.

“How did he take it?” Miranda wondered aloud, realizing that she really had no business asking.

Dahlia thought for a moment. “He knew it was coming. He knew it was inevitable. He was irritated at first, but once we figured things out, he forgot about his irritation. The only thing that changed was he moved across the hall.” Dahlia smiled a little. “We live in the same building. Right above our business.” 

“Does he ever bring women home?” Miranda asked before she thought better of it. Or men, she thought.

Dahlia chuckled. “No. I don’t think he knows how to pick up women. I am convinced that he will find someone, though. I just hope his mind isn’t elsewhere when she’s staring him in the face.” Dahlia smiled widely. “Maybe I should bring him here on a weekend. I could convince him. Probably.” Dahlia looked at Miranda. She was tall and lean and striking. Dahlia would have hated her instantly on the street. She had a short black blunt haircut and dark eyes behind black-rimmed glasses. She was beautiful. If Nick couldn’t turn his head at her, he would be a hopeless case.

“He might go running for the hills,” Miranda said. “I could lure him into the dungeons with promises of ledgers–don’t smirk at me like that!” She laughed. 

Dahlia still gave her a look. “You have dungeons in there? I might have to reconsider.”

Miranda smiled. “It’s too hot and dry here for proper dungeons, but they certainly look it.” She didn’t want to say that she lived down there or that her brother had moved into the renovated and unused rooms. She hadn’t wanted to turn them into guest rooms simply because it was in a separate area that gave her a semblance of privacy. “And if I don’t go set up the whips and chains, then it won’t get done.”

Dahlia’s eyes widened and Miranda laughed. “Kidding, kidding. Well, kind of.” She smirked. “Anyway, I’m going to give him your number. He’s continually on his phone for work, so texting is his preferred method of communication. I’m not guaranteeing anything, though. I could probably convince him to text you, but then it will be up to you to convince him to keep texting you.”

Dahlia sobered. “I...that would work.” She swallowed audibly.

Miranda smiled and checked her email for the one that Dahlia had sent her earlier in the week to ask questions. “Is the number in your email the one you want to use?”

Dahlia nodded.

“Good,” Miranda said as she put her phone back in her pocket. “I will call you later in the week if he’s not interested in getting back on the scene. I can have you come in on Friday and we can see what mischief we can find.”

Dahlia nodded again, and smiled nervously. She thought she could manage that. “I’ll leave you to your torture devices,” she said as she got into her car. She smiled and waved as she drove away and Miranda stood in the parking lot for a few moments. She liked Dahlia and she seemed very sensible. She hoped her brother was amenable. She pulled her phone back out.

 

Are you working late? I need a favor.

**I’m picking up Chinese. See, I knew the favor before you asked. I might be a wizard.**

If you were a wizard you’d know I'd wanted Thai.

**Bitch. You’ve ruined my day.**

;-)

 

Less than thirty minutes later, Miranda and Alex were sitting around her desk, half done with their supper. 

“I have a girl I want you to meet this weekend,” Miranda said, then cringed, realizing that she just made this conversation longer than it had to be.

“How can I refuse Miranda the pimp. What’s my cut?” Alex asked, looking through the containers to see what was left. He looked completely disinterested.

Miranda sighed. “This one is different.” She listened for the expected sigh, and he was predictable. “Don’t sigh at me. I’ve never tried to set you up before. Telling you to come check out the club isn’t the same thing.” She still felt that she had let him down when she’d recommended that he come find someone at the club. She looked over her glasses at him and studied him for a moment, trying to see him like another woman might. Like her, his hair and eyes were dark, but he'd never forgiven her for being several inches taller. He was slouched down in the chair looking not unlike a sullen teenager and she wondered if that added to his appeal or not. She knew women liked strange things.

He wasn’t sure he wanted to do this again. When Dishabille opened last year, he had been initially excited about finding someone whom he could flesh out some of his seemingly unnatural urges. He was ashamed that he’d gone through so many women those first few months after Emily, and that was without counting the Brigit catastrophe. Even though it wasn’t quite his fantasy, he had access to some very willing and very creative women. It had been fun, but they were fleeting. They never wanted him more than a few nights. Any attempt at nursing his self-esteem had backfired.

After Emily, he _naïve_ ly wanted to find the one. N _aïve_ because he had just come out of a relationship that had thoroughly emasculated him and he had gone into Dishabille with his head and his pride still reeling. With Emily, he'd had a very mundane, but consistent relationship. He'd never been comfortable sharing his fantasies with her, but he'd assumed she was the best he'd be able to get. She was pretty and smart. The crazy didn't come until later, but boy did it ever come. Luckily, he knew when it was time to cut his losses. 

Dishabille was a club that Miranda opened to cater to fantasies. Particularly fantasies that were more taboo. They ran the gamut from role play in already committed and monogamous couples, finding the third for a _ménage_ à _trois_ ,and a little bondage. Some came anonymously looking for a perfect candidate, but some couples came to experiment with things that they had only whispered to each other in the dark and at their most intimate moments. 

She and Alex were technically trust fund babies. They didn’t know it until well into their twenties, though. Apparently, their grandmother had a lot of untouched bonds that no one knew about and lived very modestly. When their grandmother died five or so years ago, they were twenty-five and twenty-eight, and both had already established their careers. Alex was an Information Technology consultant and Miranda managed a Gentleman's Club. The job had fallen into her lap, so to speak. She had been working as the Spa Manager at an upscale Austin hotel when Charlotte, a good friend from her university days, came in with her husband, Benjamin Stone, a well-known Austin mogul. Charlotte, after catching up with her old friend, had mentioned to her husband that Miranda would be the perfect person to run Eden. Mr. Stone gave Miranda his card and told her to stop by on her day off. She did, and once she found out that she would be making nearly double at Eden, she decided she didn’t care how much bullshit she had to tolerate.

Working at Eden and having the security of her trust fund was what enabled her to open Dishabille. She learned a lot about human sexuality at Eden. She learned its flaws and its potential. She learned that people were turned on by not so normal things. She saw many a lonely face looking for a connection. She saw girls, for that’s what they were, become empty shells right before her very eyes. There were a few women that she marveled at, though. They loved their jobs. They loved to mingle with the men and sit on laps. They laughed genuinely. It was one of these girls, a woman called Nadine, that had explained it. She said that she tended to ignore the ones that didn’t know how to behave and pay attention to the ones that looked like they needed it. She said she enjoyed making these men feel important and attractive. She knew she was attractive, and didn’t need some twenty-one year old, not able to hold his liquor, asking if they had a back room he could take her to. Nadine honestly believed she wasn’t a novelty and while Miranda disagreed on that point, she respected that Nadine really believed that. Miranda learned a lot from her and thoughts of a perfect club started to materialize. 

The real estate part was easy. She wanted something close to downtown, zoned for business, and with plenty of space. There were a few old dormitory houses that were for sale, and one of those was close to a main road, close to bars, and in a generally high traffic area. When she had found out that the ground floor was zoned for commercial use, she talked to the real estate agent, took a tour, and waited for inspections. The house was old, so she expected quite an additional investment. When it was all said and done, and a cool million down, she ended up paying more on interior design than on construction. She purchased a skinny lot across Dishabille to pave for additional parking.

Planning and executing the purpose of Dishabille was the hard part. The ground level was easily designed into a nightclub. That part she could do. It was how to market the rest of the club that was the challenge. She put out a full page advertisement in _The Austin Chronicle_ the last weekend in September. It was for a masquerade themed Halloween party. $20 singles, $30 couples, and $2 drinks. A brief mention of ‘ask us about our themed rooms’ at the bottom with a drawing of a woman in a falling camisole, arms behind her back, a dark scarf around her eyes, and sitting supplicant upon a bed, was marketing perfection. If Miranda could have anticipated the inquiries that she'd received, she would have bought the Hilton had it been for sale. That symbol soon became her logo. Dishabille took off. 

For the first few months, it was mostly just a crowded nightclub with only a few rooms being used. She made sure the rooms were stocked with simple bondage supplies, and various other sexual aids. But after the first themed night, she now had a catalog of things that people wanted in their rooms and she was happy to provide them. Anything from food to a clown costume. She had brainstorming sessions with her staff and with the help of Dishabille’s website and a theme poll, she decided to do themes every couple of weeks. The first one had been ‘Find your Mistress or Master’. That was such a success that she made sure the club had this theme several times a year. Anyone who wanted a room had to sign a release and get their identification scanned. She didn’t want to nag about safe words, but she still placed a bouncer at the bottom of the stairwell to make sure a safe word was established before they proceeded with the evening. For some couples, she thought that would add to the excitement because it seemed to be a part of the experience.

Those nights were how Miranda got her brother to come in. He had been nearly destroyed by his previous girlfriend and she thought unwisely that he needed a little bit of fun in her club. She thought Alex would do well to resurface from his apathy and try to enjoy his life again. It seemed promising at first. He began seeing Brigit after the first themed party. He was smiling again. He was actually seeing a woman, not just for sex, and several times a week. Three weeks to the day, Brigit was back at Dishabille walking up the stairs with another man. She later found out that Alex had been at Brigit’s place working on her computer. Miranda had texted him and he was at Dishabille soon after. He showed no outwardly signs of emotion when Miranda saw him. He went to the bar and chatted up a lonely looking girl and took her upstairs. He did that weekly for the next month until Miranda threatened to bar him from the property. She made him take a few days off and they drove to the coast where they could really talk and relax. They laughed about Miranda’s lack of partner when she ran a glorified sex club and Alex vowed to never date a woman who wasn’t computer literate.

While he and Brigit hadn't had a long-term relationship, it was still a blow to Alex because he had been able to share his fantasy of domination with her. She'd been completely on board for a couple of days, but soon tired of it. Alex had been disappointed, but she'd still been an adventurous and creative lover. Alex had been confident that they'd be able to explore his fantasies further in the future. 

Alex had moved into the lower room next to Miranda after their trip. She’d just renovated the quarters next to hers and since hers were plenty big, she thought it practical to offer him a place. He’d thought about buying something, but hadn’t gotten around to committing. So now they could have dinners together most nights. They had been close growing up, but adulthood and responsibilities had separated them.

Alex would indulge his sister for now, but he had no interest in a curious woman who would leave as soon as her curiosity was satisfied. He wouldn't admit his own interest, yet. “How is she different?” 

Miranda looked at him. “Well for one, she’s terrified. She doesn’t really want to come to the club sniffing around men to see which one she wants to tie her up.”

How the hell did Miranda come across this woman? Alex held up a hand. “Wait. Where did you meet her?”

Miranda paused. Would Dahlia mind if she read Alex the email? She decided to paraphrase. “I received an email from her asking about the club. She wanted to know how a person who was curious about BDSM was to find the right person. How to find a person who would be patient with her,” Miranda said, looking at her brother. “I actually thought of you right away, so I invited her here so I could see her and talk to her. She talked about her reluctance to answer ads or to even put out her own ad.” Miranda smirked. “She's cute, too. Short, voluptuous, and crazy hair.”

Alex did look vaguely interested, but Miranda wasn't sure how much he wasn't showing. “What did you tell her?”

“I said that I might know someone. Might. I have her number and said that if he’s interested he’d send her a text,” Miranda admitted.

“What if I’m not interested?” Alex asked with a bit more attitude than Miranda expected.

Miranda shrugged. “Then don’t text her. Honestly, Alex. I wouldn’t have said anything, but I don’t think she wants to play around. She said that she’s been wanting to explore this for a while,” Miranda said and realized that she was defending Dahlia like they were old friends. It wasn't every day that she meshed with someone so quickly, especially since she tended to hold people at arm's length. “If you don't want to, I told her to come Friday night. We do have a few regulars that could show her the ropes.” She smiled inwardly, knowing that would get him.

“Those cannibals would eat her alive, Miranda!” Alex was becoming interested despite his instincts, even if it was under the guise of protecting her. He had given up, but maybe he could try to be cautious and make an attempt at going slow. He sighed. “Give me her number. I’ll think about it.”

This pleased Miranda more than she thought it would. She copied the number down and handed it to him. She felt that she wanted to impart some great advice, but it was nothing he didn’t already know. She knew how hard this was for Alex, for him to open up and share his deepest secrets with another woman. Because his need for domination was his greatest secret. All the other women thought it was just for fun, that it was all just a sexual game. Dahlia must have an inkling that the person who was going to text her liked to dominate and was not just indulging sexual curiosities. She knew that Miranda wouldn’t put her in touch with just anyone.

She saw the pensive look on Alex’s face. “Take a few days and think about it, Alex. You aren’t obligated to anything.”

“I think I want to. I just lack the instincts to know what I’m not supposed to say or do. When I do and say what comes naturally, girls don’t stick around for long. If I keep it all in, I'm stuck in another sad relationship.” It wasn’t very often that he looked miserable, but he looked downright pitiful now. Miranda wasn’t sure if it was a put-on.

“What are you telling these poor girls?” Miranda asked him gently.

Alex quirked a smile. “The truth. Sometimes when things are getting intimate, the running commentary in my head comes out of my mouth.” He turned serious. “They like it, but they don’t like it for long.”

“You mean serious things? Like emotions and commitment and things?” At Alex’s nod she continued, “I don’t think it has anything to do with what you do or say. They weren’t looking for monogamy in the first place. That’s why I was impressed with Dahlia. She’s not interested in going through a bunch of Doms to find the right one. She wants to find him on the first try,” Miranda said. “She didn’t come right out and say, but she’s looking for a relationship. If she wasn’t, she’d just come here alone on a Friday.”

“How do I not scare her away, then? How do I know how fast or slow I need to take it?” Alex asked anxiously.

Miranda thought for a minute. These things weren’t so black and white. “I think you should be yourself. I don’t want you to struggle daily with second guessing all your words and actions. In fact, if it’s a visible struggle, it might be a turnoff.” 

Alex had always been very intense, even as a child. He felt things differently than most people. There had always been a depth and fervor about him that he hadn't always been able to hide, and when he had tried, the apathy was even more stifling than his passion. Miranda knew that there had to be a girl that would appreciate all that intensity aimed at her.

Alex was reassured, but still wanted to try to be a little normal. At least at first. He knew he wouldn’t be able to change completely, but maybe he could hold off on being so overwhelming. He would try.

Alex got up while looking at the number, and headed for the door. Miranda was hopeful about that.

“Thanks for dinner,” she called after him with a smile.

“Uh huh,” he said absently as he walked out the door, still looking at the paper. 

Miranda was optimistic. She knew Alex would text Dahlia tonight. His impulsiveness wouldn't allow him to wait.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex texts Dahlia.

**Chapter 2**

 

 

Dahlia hadn't heard her phone go off. With a teenage daughter out and about most days, she kept her phone close and loud enough to hear through her bag or pocket. Tonight though, she had been enjoying some television and dinner with said daughter. With Callie's theatre and school schedule, they hadn't been getting much evening time in. Dahlia liked to try for a dinner together several times a week, but Nick, her ex-husband, was usually with them. So, she felt it serendipitous that Callie was home when she returned, and that Nick had Sunday Night Football to keep him home and occupied. 

Callie was leaving for New York City with her theatre troop on Tuesday, so she could share her with Nick the following evening, and breakfast on Tuesday morning. 

Now that Callie was fed, cleaned, and in her room, Dahlia checked her phone, not expecting any messages. It took her a few seconds before she realized whom it was from. 

 

Hi, this is Alex. Miranda gave me your number. She told me you were curious about the lifestyle and that you might want to get together at Dishabille. 

 

Alex had thought for a while what to send. He didn't want to sound aloof, too eager, difficult, lecherous, or unpleasant. He thought maybe he'd just be himself. 

 

Hi! I'm Dahlia. Sorry for the delay. I didn't hear my phone. I talked to Miranda for a while today and she was very sweet about all my questions. But yes, I've been interested in it for years, but had no idea of a safe way to explore it. 

 

Dahlia was shaking just a bit. It had been two hours since his text and she wasn't sure if it was too late, but she didn't want to leave him hanging. 

 

No problem. I'm up. I understand. I know that it doesn't seem like it, but Doms have their problems as well. Most subs we find are in it just for a game or two, but never in a serious way. There are probably more people like you, but just don't explore it because it's so fringe. 

 

Alex sat up in bed and turned the television down. He hadn’t thought she was going to text back. He scolded himself for expecting too much too soon, but her response was so articulate and seemingly sincere that he smiled like a teenage boy who was about to get to second base. It never occurred to him to pursue someone with BDSM as the common factor. 

 

I thought I had wanted just the game for a time or two, but it has never left me. In my previous relationship it seemed that I would ask for role playing experiences to spice things up, but it would only increase my desire for it. It's taken me months of no sexual contact with men to make me realize that it had nothing to do with problems with my previous relationship, but of my desires. Christ. I'm not leaving any mystery. 

 

Dahlia cringed hoping she wouldn't scare him off. And she certainly wasn’t going to stretch months to years. 

 

:-D That means I get to ask deep and personal questions. How long was your previous relationship and how long have you been single? 

 

She seemed to be talking, so Alex was going to keep asking. 

 

About 13 years. Got married after I got pregnant at 18, divorced 2 years ago. I've dated a few times the past couple years, but nothing close to serious. 

 

In for a penny, in for a pound. 

 

If you don't mind me asking, why did you split up? 

 

Alex wasn't scared off, and he wanted Dahlia to be comfortable telling him important things about her life. 

 

Over a decade's worth of intimacy issues. We had to split up because I was beginning to hate him and he's a good friend. I didn't want to hate him. As cliche as it is, I didn't want to ruin our friendship. We only got married because I got pregnant. We were best friends who'd tried tequila for the first time and the results were our daughter. 

 

Dahlia got ready for bed quickly, not wanting to delay the conversation. She wondered if he would eventually answer any personal questions. 

 

Why get married at all then? 

     Familial pressure on my side. His parents wanted nothing to do with me, but Nick has always taken his responsibilities seriously. We liked each        other enough to live together and we were too young to think of any reason not to. 

<psychiatrist mode> What was your sex life like? 

     LOL It scratched the itch for the physical part. Sometimes. His idea of foreplay was bringing home a bottle of booze and wagging his eyebrows at        me. Any role-playing I wanted to try I'd have to be completely plastered to even ask and he would give a few swats, bend me over, and it was over      in 2 minutes. Like I said, I was beginning to hate him. 

I'm assuming you talked to him about it. What did he say? 

     Stress from work and tired. Sometimes he would nod and attempt his formulaic version of foreplay, but it would be a one-off and I'd get tired of        asking. It got to be redundant. It took me years to realize that it had nothing to do with me. 

 

Dahlia sighed, not really wanting to talk about her ex. She realized that she was making him seem lazy, but that wasn't quite what she hoped was the truth. He hadn't loved her enough to get help, but she wasn't going to spread her speculations of Nick's alleged medical problems. It had never been confirmed, but the alternative would be too much for Dahlia to bear. They were in a good place. She wanted it to stay that way.

 

<psychiatrist mode ended> What's your desired version of foreplay, then? 

 

Alex wondered if he should chance it, but this would ultimately lead to sex, right? 

 

Verbal. What's yours? 

 

Tit for tat. Dahlia thought it should be his turn to talk. 

 

That's all? Easy. ;-) Mine might be obvious. I like a woman at my whim. I like to be given the gift of her submission. That she trusts me enough with that. Funnily enough, I've never been gifted with it. 

     Panting and grunting don't count ;-) I've never had mine, either. Unless you count James Earl Jones reading Song of Solomon or saying abomination      a bunch of times. But, I was by myself for those times. 

LOL I heard Star Wars was playing at the Drafthouse soon. Wanna go? Seriously, where do you get the OT read by JEJ? 

     I listen to a lot of audio books. At one point when my daughter's theatre was doing Joseph, we had an impromptu lesson on culturally relevant          Bible stories. We're not religious, so her education was lacking. She thought it was a laugh that you could buy it with Darth Vader reading it.        It's very good. ;-) 

LOL I bet. I can't tell if you're having me on. 

     I'm serious! I can't help it if I have strange kinks! 

I'm changing your ring tone to The Imperial March. 

     LOL I'm going to text you all day tomorrow. And I'm changing yours to Whip It. 

Your bottom is going to be so red. :-D

 

Alex sent it before he thought better of it. 

 

:-D I am so glad I’m in bed right now. I could’ve tripped on the street or choked on lunch. 

     We wouldn’t want that. I’ll try to be good during daylight hours, but I can’t promise. ;-) 

Speaking of daylight hours, it’s going to be in about 4 hours. I’m not tired, yet. Why don’t you bore me with stuff about you. ;-) 

     Bottom. Red...what do you want to know? 

Usual stuff. Serious relationships, age, whether you eat babies. :-D 

     I’m 30. I think babies are tasty, but empty calories, and I’ve had one long-term serious relationship. Moved in together in college and broke up a      couple of years ago. 

Can you tell me about it, or is it too personal? 

     It’s fine. She faked a pregnancy, then a subsequent abortion to try to get me to marry her. I actually might have married her had she asked, but I      had no idea that the fake pregnancy was to get me to ask. We'd lived together for so long that it hadn't been on my radar. She looked me straight      in the eye and told me that she wasn’t going to have a baby with me unless I married her, so she told me she aborted it. I left. She told me it        had all been a lie to get me to come back. I couldn't.

Jesus Christ. Jesus fucking Christ. Women are bitches. 

     I have thought that a time or two. 

Jesus Christ. Did you do the dominant thing with her? Was there anyone after her? 

     No to both questions. I never brought it up because I thought it was too deviant. There were a couple of hopefuls after her, but nothing that          lasted. It was mostly at Miranda’s club. I haven’t been to the club portion for months. 

You and Miranda are close? 

     She’s my big sister. 

Get out! I very nearly set her up with my ex today. I think he might actually notice her. She’s gorgeous. 

     Good luck with that. I don’t remember the last time I saw her with a man, or woman for that matter. She’s married to her work. She likes you,          though. She has never given me a number before. 

I like her, too. She made me feel comfortable today. I really didn’t know what to do. I still don’t know quite what to do. 

     Thinking on the fly here, but I think once we’ve gotten to know each other a bit on here, I can set up something for us at the club. In a few days      we can discuss initial fears and expectations. I’m certainly not going to bring out the cane on our first date. ;-) 

What if I’m particularly naughty? :-) 

     Now you’ve done it. First meeting will be in the dungeons. 

:-D I’m not going to be able to sleep now. I might be in way over my head. 

     I can take it as slow as you need. Really. 

 

He would certainly try.

 

I really appreciate that. Thanks for talking to me for so long tonight. 

     Hopefully we’ll be able to talk again tomorrow. :-) 

I’ll probably leave work around 6, but you can text me anytime during the day. 

     Sounds good. I’ll text you tomorrow. Try to get some sleep. 

You, too. Goodnight, Alex. :-) 

          ‘Night, Dahlia. 

 

Alex fell back on his pillow. He felt like a goddamn teenage girl. He read through all the texts. He exhaled heavily and looked down at the erection threatening to break free of his underwear. He was so aroused, but he couldn't picture her face or her body. He wasn’t in the mood to draw this out anyway. He pulled his cock out and jerked it roughly. And...done. God, he was pathetic. 

He picked up his phone and looked at the time. Almost three. He texted Miranda. 

 

I love you, Sis. 

     Love you, too. Told you you’d like her. 

 

Alex shook his head fondly and went to sleep.


	3. 3

**Chapter 3**

 

 

Dahlia didn’t roll out of bed until ten. Usually Nick brought breakfast, but he had an account he wanted to get done by noon, so he went in early. Callie was probably on her laptop, chatting with her friends. She picked up her phone and smiled as she read through the conversation from last night. God, she was smitten. He'd completely charmed her. She wondered how foolish she was. She didn't care. She debated on whether she should text him first when her phone vibrated.

 

Morning! I hope you slept well.

     I could use a couple more hours, but once I get coffee in me, I’ll be fine. And good morning to you, too. How are you faring today?

I’ve got two cups down and finished my first job. It’s going to be a long day.

     I'm surprised I didn't ask last night. What do you do?

I work in IT. Independent contractor.

     Really? Why did Miranda ask me about computers? I thought she needed help with something.

LOL did she really? Girl I dated was seeing someone else while I was fixing her computer.

     Wow. Women are bitches.

Indeed. What do you do?

     I’m a CPA. My ex and I co-own a business. We help with taxes, bank investments, auditing, and various other services.

Flexible hours, then?

     Right now, yes. Tax time is a nightmare because we get small businesses that come in thinking we can do a whole year’s work in an afternoon. We can usually get them an extension, but it takes awhile to convince them that we need a constant stream of their paperwork and receipts. Nick had to put a premium rate on doing things on short notice, so that they would be more inclined to save money in the long run. It works some, but tax time is still crazy. We’ve even taught Callie to run some of the software and file for us.

I think Miranda did her own this year, but she had to file an extension. In fact, I think she just sent it in. The business was smaller last year, but revenue has tripled since.

      Tell her to get her stuff together and I can have Nick go look at it. ;-) Seriously though, it’s best if we look at it now. That way we can have it done by the first of the year.

What is your fee?

      Nothing for her. I imagine it costs to rent rooms at the club. In my case it’s a bit of a cheat, so I’m good with bartering. ;-)

Will your ex be okay with that?

     As long as she’s halfway organized. :-)

She's definitely organized.

     Good. I can set up something with her later. But, I need to get up and get dressed.

LOL you’re in bed still? I’ll let you get to it, then. I’ll text you later. Don’t work too hard. ;-)

     :-)

 

Dahlia was behind her desk twenty minutes later, coffee in hand, computer on, and an ex-husband teasing her about her beauty sleep. Luckily, since he came in early, he was taking the rest of the afternoon off to spend some time with Callie, and she could work in peace. He wasn’t hard to work with usually. He was just a constant stream of sarcasm and general assholery. She was mostly immune to it, but some days, she wanted to stay in her own little world. Like today.

Once he was gone, she was able to put her phone out and stare at it every five minutes. At one point she did change the ring tone, but decided to keep it on vibrate until she went upstairs. Hours later, she had just finished one account and was debating whether to start on another when she got a text. She thought that answered her question, so she grabbed her bag and made her way back upstairs.

 

I was wondering if you’d maybe like to go out on a date a night or two before we do the club thing?

 

Before Dahlia could answer she got another.

 

I think it’s important to know each other outside of the bedroom if you’re going to trust me in my bedroom with a blindfold on.

     Blindfold? I can’t tell if you’re flirting or being serious. :-P

LOL I guess I should elaborate. I’m thinking ahead. It’s a habit. I was thinking that anytime I asked for you to wear a blindfold, you’d know what it meant. That way we could do normal stuff like go back to mine and watch TV or whatever. I’d like us to keep communication very frank, so that we can learn each other's needs better.

     You’ve thought this out a whole lot more than me. It sounds like you want to try for a proper relationship.

I do. It’s why I asked you out. ;-) I thought we’ve hit it off pretty good. I’ll be honest, though. I could do it this way, texts and getting together once in a while for a session, but I think that it’s not something I’d be happy with for very long. I'd still do it that way, if that's what would make you most comfortable right now. I know that some people like to stay a bit detached. You can get a feel for things to see if it's something you'd like to continue with. Whatever you want to do.

     So, you’d help me if I were just wanting to try this for a bit, without any other attachment, but you’d rather like to see if there could be more. Is this correct?

 

Dahlia needed him to be clear. She thought that he sounded like he might be panicking a bit. He'd asked her out, but started to backtrack when he considered that she might say no. She had no intention of saying no.

 

Yes.

 

Well, then.

 

     Sorry if I sound short. I just don’t want to misunderstand.

No problem. I just wanted to be perfectly clear.

     In that case, I would love to go on a date with you.

 

His relief was staggering.

 

:-) I was thinking Wed. night. Have you ever been to Moonshine’s?

      I haven’t. Wed. sounds fine. Is it a dressy place?

I think it’s pretty casual, maybe business casual, but I’ll probably wear a button-up long sleeve shirt. Not a tie, though.

     That sounds fine. I’m looking forward to it.

So, can I assume you’d like to see where this goes outside of the bedroom?

     I would. Reading that question was something out of the Twilight Zone. :-D

I never in my whole life thought I’d ever ask a girl that. *makes sure no one is reading over my shoulder*

      :-) I’m glad it was me. I thought that it would be too difficult to find a relationship like that.

Me, too. :-)

 

Alex had only just got home when he’d asked Dahlia out. He had always had the problem of not quite thinking things through and he was worried that he’d regret asking. He was more worried about regretting the opposite. He hadn't been able to get her off his mind all day. He did have a tendency for preoccupation, but it was almost guaranteed that he'd get to be with her in some intimate fashion by the weekend, but for some reason he wasn't quite satisfied with just that. He hadn't analyzed why, but he was very relieved that Dahlia was agreeable.

 

     What if I’m not very good at submitting?

 

He was surprised by the question. He needed her to know that this was something that they'd learn together. And that he would be very patient.

 

I don’t want or need constant submission. Mostly I’ve only ever wanted it in the bedroom, but it can spill out into other areas of life. For me, it’s a kink, not so much a complete lifestyle, like it would be for some people. The thing is, I haven’t been able to explore it with one person for very long. That’s why I want a relationship to explore this. It’s not a one or two time thing. But I’m essentially a beginner. And I’ve just realized that may not be what you wanted at all. You might have wanted someone more experienced.

     Not at all! I’m more than comfortable with it. I like it. And I forgot to put a winky face after my last text. I was totally trying to flirt, but it came up as more doubtful. Sorry about that. I really like the blindfold idea. Would it work the opposite way? Could I put it on when we hadn’t had anything planned?

 

Good God. There went the rest of his evening.

 

After picturing the winky...hmmm, well, we’d be having a lovely conversation with you turned over my knee. And I can’t even *function* picturing a scenario where I walk in with you wearing a blindfold. I guess that would be an emphatic yes. Please do it. A lot. Like yesterday. It’s probably good that I don’t know what you look like, yet. I’m ridiculously visual, and distractible. It’s a wonder I’m gainfully employed.

     LOL You were on Ritalin as a kid, weren’t you?

Still am. It’s how I can keep a job.

     I guess I’d better wear low cut things to make sure your eyes stay on me when we go out. ;-)

I’m not that bad, I don’t think. Better play it safe, though.

     I think I’ll go shopping.

You don’t need to go buy something.

     I have a man to impress! Besides my cleavage might look awesome if I did something with it.

I think that he will try his best with intellectual stimulation.

     That’s very noble of him. But the last time someone looked at my breasts in excitement was a long long time ago and that was only because I was lactating. So, he’d better make an effort. ;-)

When you say things like that, it makes me want to come see you now. And make an effort.

     I’m very tempted to let you. I have dinner with Nick and Callie in an hour, though. Callie’s going to NYC tomorrow morning with her theatre troop for 2 weeks and we’re going to spend some time with her. But God, I’m very tempted.

I’m glad that you’re tempted. Tomorrow is going to be a very rough day.

     It is. If I were to see you now, what would you do?

 

He thought for a moment. He wondered if he should be honest or cautious. She obviously wanted something from him to be asking such a question. He hoped his honestly didn't terrify her.

 

I’d give you instructions to follow, then I’d come over, and if my instructions were followed, I’d make sure that you’d never want for anyone or anything ever again.

     Oh, that was very cruel.

 

Smitten, yes. Completely and utterly...smitten. Smitten was safe, right? Fuck safe. She was falling hard and didn't have the first clue on how to stop it. She didn't think she wanted to stop it anyway.

 

You did ask. I answered to the best of my ability. What did you expect? :-)

     The stuff I was picturing was really quite tame.

I can try to be tame if you’d like.

     Try it. :-D

I’d come over and kiss you sweetly on the mouth while I lovingly stroked your hair.

     I’m sorry I asked you to do that. :-D

Hey! I thought it was very good! Women.

     I’m afraid you’ve ruined me for normal sweet talk.

In that case...While stroking your hair, I’d grab a handful and yank your head back. I’d work my way down your neck, biting and sucking.

     *is vaguely interested* Continue.

:-D I can’t wait to see you. I’d change our date to tomorrow, but I’ve got a full fucking day. The bulk being after 3.

     We could play it by ear.

We could. I just don’t want to disappoint you if work runs too late. I don’t want to be too tired.

     Too tired for what? You’re not expecting me to put out, are you? ;-)

I expect you to react naturally to whatever I say.

     I should probably wear a dress, then. *sigh*

:-D I’ll make sure we get a secluded booth.

 

Dahlia wondered if she should chill with the sluttiness. He seemed to like it and she _was_ reacting naturally. Considering the circumstances of their phone meeting, it probably wasn't an issue. It still worried her.

 

      I hope my easiness doesn’t eventually turn you off.

If you were easy, you wouldn’t have emailed my sister. Besides, didn’t you say you hadn’t had sex in months?

     Cough*years*cough

I don’t think you’re easy at all. Quite the opposite.

     You’ve talked me into bed within 24 hours!

Our circumstances are a bit different. You’ve dated since your divorce. How come you didn’t sleep with any of them?

     I wasn’t remotely interested. As lonely as I was, I felt nothing.

But for me...?

      Lots of feelings. Lots of interest. I guess it’s the time frame that concerns me.

It doesn’t concern me. I just think we were instantly compatible. Sex was already on the table, so we didn’t have to tiptoe around that. I’ve always wanted someone sexually uninhibited, but who was also interested in monogamy. I know there are women out there like that, but you’re the first I’ve come across that I’ve wanted to pursue. I consider myself very lucky to have found you.

      I promise to try not to have fits of insecurity very often. Your mouth is going to be my undoing. I’m a sure thing and yet you still continue to charm me.

Wednesday can’t come soon enough.

     :-) Can you text me a little later?

I intend to, but someone kept me up late last night. I might fall asleep. You can text me when you’re free.

      I wouldn’t want to wake you.

I normally don’t hear my phone if I’m out, but I’d like to wake up with a text from you.

      Then I will text you. I’ll probably try to get a decent night’s sleep tonight. We’ve got to get Callie to the airport by 9. Nick and I are taking her to Annie’s in the morning for breakfast first. This is the first time I’ve spent this long without her. :-(

I shall endeavor to distract you properly.

     I’m sure you will be successful.

I’ll miss you tonight.

      Miss you more. :-)

 

Alex lay in his bed wondering if he should chance catching a glimpse of her at Annie’s. He felt a bit like a stalker, but maybe–he pushed himself quickly out of bed and walked to his closet. He reached up and grabbed a medium-sized black case from the back and brought it to his desk. He opened the box with the included key that was still affixed to the handle and reverently picked up a small box that was off to the side of the other items in the box. It was a perfect replica of the box it came in, but it didn’t need a key to unlock it. It had two indentations that needed to be pressed simultaneously.

Back when Dishabille opened, he and Miranda, after realizing that she could have quite a successful little side business selling adult novelty toys, would sift through wholesale catalogs with a few of the staff members. One of the catalogs had something that Alex was particularly interested in. It was a kit of bondage supplies, but it differed from some of the other sets. It wasn’t cheap plastic products in a flimsy box, but a nice leather case with a place for all the supplies inside. There was a leather cat whip, a spool of leather cord with several pre-cut pieces, a ball gag, a single-lash whip, a beginner’s flogger, a small heavy wooden paddle, a small box with crystal vials of healing ointments, and inside the small black box was a long silk scarf, the color of smoke.

He had bought the kit hoping he’d find the one who would appreciate it. He pressed the indentations in the box and slowly pulled out the scarf. He stared at it for many moments before coming to a decision. He wasn’t going to stalk Dahlia. He was going to woo the pants off her. He folded the scarf gently and placed it back in the box. After digging in his desk for a small notepad, he wrote a succinct note.

 

_**To bind your eyes.** _

_**To bind your hands.** _

_**To bind your heart.** _

 

He wanted her to know what this scarf symbolized for him. It seemed an unimportant piece of material, but his intentions were passionate and sincere. Since he was going to give it to her in a public place–somehow, he decided he’d need to put something more inconspicuous in the box. Chocolate. He’d run by the market in the morning to get a gift box and a chocolate bar. He wrote at the bottom of the note.

 

_**And chocolate, just in case you have a curious audience.** _

_**Yours, Alex.** _

 

Satisfied with his plan, he went to bed, setting his alarm so that he had plenty of time to get his errands done before he would need to be at Annie’s. He sighed. He'd have to take care of his erection first. Pathetic.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next morning.

Alex woke up with a bit more energy than normal, particularly since he was able to catch up on some much needed rest. He checked his phone. Dahlia had texted him around eleven. 

 

Going to bed now. Hope you’re sleeping well.

 

He checked his email for any new job appointments and there were two that needed him before noon, and his afternoon was booked solid through that afternoon and into the evening. He would be tired, but tomorrow was looking to be a slow day. He hoped they could get in some conversation tonight. 

He showered and dressed hurriedly in a plain black tee, khakis, and sneakers. He grabbed his work bag, Dahlia’s gift, and only just managed not to slam his door. Miranda stayed up late with the club and he didn’t want to wake her. 

He was out of the store within fifteen minutes, and made it to Annie’s with fifteen minutes to spare. He sat in his car and pulled out Dahlia’s gift and opened it. He reached into the grocery bag to get the chocolate bar. It wasn’t chocolate he’d tried before, but it was from a local chocolatier. It was fairly thick for a chocolate bar, but about as long as one. It was wrapped in wax paper and you could feel the crushed almonds and toffee along the bottom. He wrapped the scarf neatly around the chocolate and placed it back in the box. 

He heard a sedan pull in and saw a teenage girl and a man get out. She was tall and blonde and greatly resembled the man who had been driving. He was about to finish up the package when he saw the passenger door open and a woman get out. 

He stopped breathing. He was twenty feet from this woman, but he had no idea if it was Dahlia. He wanted it to be her, though. She was very pretty and while his eyes strayed automatically to her breasts, then her hips, he was really captivated by her hair. It was simply everywhere. Cute, short, voluptuous, and crazy hair. Isn't that what Miranda had said? It had to be her. He exhaled. He watched as the woman came up to the girl and put her arm around her waist and the girl wrapped her arms around the woman in return. He couldn’t see the woman’s face. He looked at the man as he and his daughter shared a fond look, but still, Alex was clueless. 

“Jesus, Dahlia. She’ll be back in a couple weeks,” the man said, smiling. 

Alex held his breath again. 

He saw Dahlia raise her head and glare at the man. “Don’t pretend you’re not going to be moping by the evening and burning up her phone every hour.” 

The man shook his head and smiled as they walked toward the entrance of the restaurant. Alex slid down his seat until they were inside. Well, then. That was Dahlia. Alex tried to get his breathing under control as he placed her gift in its box. He pulled out a pen and wrote her name on the card attached to the box. He put the box in his work bag and got out of his car. 

He walked slowly up to the entrance and tried to see inside, but didn't have much luck. As he stepped inside, he spotted them instantly at a table to his left. He briefly looked around before requesting the table that was a few tables down from Dahlia and her family. As he walked by them, Alex was able to see her more clearly. Her hair was shoulder length with a mass of large brown curls. Alex was enchanted by them. She was wearing a short floral sundress with flip-flops and it looked as if she’d just rolled out of bed. Alex smirked as he sat down facing their table, realizing that was probably the truth. 

He could only see her profile at this angle and she looked relaxed and happy. He watched them order and soon after he ordered pastries and a cappuccino himself. As he drank his coffee, he couldn’t stop staring. The more he looked at her, the more smitten he became. The conversation was mainly one-sided with both parents listening indulgently to their daughter, but Alex couldn’t tell what she was saying. 

Alex was half done with his pastries when he got the idea. It took a moment of searching the Internet on his phone, but he found it. He sent it to her. 

 

Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. 

 

_When a problem comes along_

_You must whip it_

_Before the cream sets out too long_

_You must whip it_

 

Alex nearly fell out of his chair, but he didn’t miss the looks Dahlia’s companions gave her. He also didn’t miss the blush that reddened her cheeks and her chest as she read what he wrote. Her beautiful mouth was curved slightly upward. He watched her begin to type and immediately turned the ringer down on his phone. She seemed to consider what to say. 

 

Fucking Christ, Alex. You absolutely slay me. 

 

Alex smiled. He didn’t want to set off her ring tone again, so he’d wait until later to text her. Besides, he had to get this box to her. He paid his bill and pulled out the box. He sat watching them, Dahlia still blushing, but shaking her head and smiling a lot. He knew she was trying to fend off questions, and he felt a little bad for putting her on the spot. But, only a little bad. 

Just when he was going to leave and put it on top of their car, Dahlia got up and walked to the restroom. He looked over at the table and watched as Callie got up to move closer to her dad to show him something on her phone. Alex drained his coffee, slipped his bag on his shoulder, and stood. He walked quickly past the table, put the box on Dahlia’s chair, then pretended to pick up something he dropped. He all but ran to his car. 

Once he was safely out of the parking lot and pulling into work, he was able to relax a little. He remembered that his ringer was off and checked his phone. Two messages. 

 

     Slayed. At your mercy. 

     Let me know when you can talk later. 

Going in now. You don’t look like you could be the mother of a 15yo. I thought I was in Alabama for a second. 

     I barely had my face washed and didn’t even brush my hair. 

Never brush your hair. It took all my strength not to molest it when I walked past you. I nearly fell out of my chair when your phone went off. I’d apologize, but I’m not sorry. ;-) 

     Callie and Nick are harassing me non-stop. I’d tell you to make it up to me, but you already did. More than. Almost to the airport. Talk to you later? 

Of course. I gave you silk and chocolates. I have expectations now. 

     *sigh* We all have our price.

:-D Text me whenever you want. Can’t promise I’ll get back right away. Last job starts at 6. When I’m done, I’m all yours.

 

Alex stared at his phone for a minute and wondered how he was in this deep. It hadn’t even been two days. Going slow wasn’t an option he had the strength to consider anymore. He started typing again. 

 

All yours. 

 

And he waited. He felt like he was going to throw up. What the fuck was he doing? Hadn’t he learned anything? It was one thing to flirt about sex, but this wasn’t flirting. This was pulling your heart out of your chest and giving it to someone who might not like blood all over their floor. He’d already put himself out there with the note and now he wasn’t even pretending to be subtle. Physical sadist and emotional masochist. 

 

     Puddle. All over the floor. God, I hope I can please you. 

 

Alex felt dizzy with relief. 

 

I’m so pleased right now that I’m going to have to go in the men’s lest I embarrass myself. 

     Got video on your phone? 

*chokes* So very pleased. Now I have a face and body to fantasize about. Last night wasn’t nearly as satisfying. 

     Last night, you...? 

Last night and the night before. Maybe I can send you video later, but not of a bathroom. In my bed. 

     Jesus Alex, I’m not going to get anything done today. 

You on your knees in front of me, my hands getting lost in your hair...

     At the airport! I'm at the airport! 

;-) Later, darling. 

 

Alex didn’t want to jerk off in the men’s restroom, but his erection wasn’t going away as he walked inside the building. His bag was bumping against his cock uncomfortably as he showed his badge to the security guard. 

“Bathroom?” He asked. 

The guard jerked his head back toward the hall behind him. “End of that hallway,” he said without making eye contact. 

He made it to the bathroom as quickly as possible. The building seemed deserted down here and he hadn’t encountered anyone. The bathroom was empty. He locked himself in the last stall, hung his bag up, and unbuttoned his khakis as fast as he could. He pulled his cock out and pulled on it quickly, imagining Dahlia’s face looking up at him, mouth open–and that was it. He cupped his hand over the head to catch his come. He leaned back on the door, hands a mess, and breathing hard. He just wanted to get through the day with the least amount of hard-ons possible. He looked down at his hands, shook his head, and sighed. Christ. 

He did his best to clean himself up with toilet paper. He tidied himself up and went to wash his hands. He grabbed his bag and took one last look at himself in the mirror. 

“You’re pathetic,” his reflection mouthed.

 

Dahlia was hoping that her day would go by very slowly. Not because she wanted to do accounts all day, but because she was a little embarrassed by her brazenness. She couldn’t believe she asked Alex to video himself while he masturbated. She certainly wasn’t innocent–her imagination wouldn’t allow that–and she wasn’t a prude, but she’d never seen a man do that. At that moment she’d wanted to, though. 

Alex was driving her insane. Since that morning with the Solomon text, she’d had to spill a bit to her family, and she wasn’t quite ready for that. Brushing the text off was one thing, but explaining a very nicely, wrapped in silk chocolate was different. She could blame the blush on lighting, but she couldn’t ignore the gift. So, she told as much of the truth as she could. She told them that a friend’s brother had asked her out, and was being very sweet about it. If they only knew, she thought.

She also knew that she could not deny Alex anything at this point. She was already completely taken by him. But that was the point, wasn’t it? To not deny him? To be at his mercy? To gift him with her submission? She just didn’t think she’d feel inclined so soon. Just when she was at an age where she thought she knew herself, she had this man, without much effort on his part, totally launch her libido into places she hadn’t even known existed. 

He might break her heart, but she needed this–needed him–and she didn’t care if that made her a fool. She’d been a practical girl for so long, and Alex made her feel desired. 

She put in a full day and was already curled on the sofa watching television when her phone went off. She chuckled wondering if she should change his ring tone, but decided she enjoyed hearing it when he texted. 

 

Starting my last job now. 

     How is your day going? 

Excruciating. Some people shouldn’t breed. 

     Ouch. You should be done soon, though. 

Probably will be in an hour or so. Tomorrow won’t be as busy. The weekend can’t come soon enough, though I’m thinking of taking Friday off if you’ll stay with me Thursday. Not for the whole night, if you don’t want, but I’d like to lock you in the dungeon with me for a while. ;-) 

     I can take Friday off. I’d hate for you to spank me, then ask me to leave. I’ll stay as long as you want. 

Don’t say that. I might not be inclined to let you out of my bed. 

     I’m worried that I won’t want to leave. 

When would you need to? 

     I don’t know. I’d have to work on Monday. 

Then stay the weekend. 

     I think I should probably talk to Nick. 

To ask permission? Seriously? 

     No! Because we’re getting pretty serious. I’d want him to know that I planned on staying the weekend. 

Sorry. If it’s too big a deal, we can wait. 

 

Alex didn’t wait for a text back. He turned the ringer off and went back to work. He was supremely irritated. And sick to his stomach. He wasn’t quite convinced that Nick would be okay with his ex-wife dating. Alex couldn’t imagine a man who could let her go, especially since she'd been in his bed every night. He couldn't wrap his brain around it. 

After about an hour, as he was walking to his car to leave, he turned his phone on. One message. 

 

     I think we’re a BFD. I can tell Nick I’m driving up to see my sister or something if you’d rather. If you still want me to stay, that is. 

 

Alex felt all the anger leave his body and it was replaced by deep remorse. He thought maybe he should have left his phone on. Dahlia was probably hurt and angry right now. He figured there would only be one way to resolve it. 

 

May I call you? 

 

Alex started the car and drove home. Miranda was at yoga, so she’d bring home food after. He was glad that even with the congestion of cars, he was close to home. If he hadn’t had to work at different sites, he would have walked. 

 

     Sure. 

 

As soon as Alex was home, he called her. She picked up on the second ring. 

“Hi,” Dahlia answered nervously. She had been pacing the floor when she got the text and she was a nervous wreck. She hadn’t thought she would hear from him again. She hadn’t been able to stop the tears when he hadn’t texted back. She thought she had blown it, just from a poorly worded reply. She always knew that any man she dated would have a problem with Nick and she understood why. She really didn’t know how to reassure him, but she would try. 

“I’m sorry,” tumbled out of his mouth. He’d planned on a greeting at first, but as soon as he heard her voice, he lost control of his mouth. 

Dahlia had to hold back tears. He sounded so contrite. He sounded beautiful. “You’ve nothing to be sorry for. I should have worded the text differently. I knew that I'd have to explain my relationship with Nick. It's just you're the first person I've ever had to do that with.” 

Alex was going to be honest. He rubbed his hand furiously over his face and exhaled. “It’s not that. I just...panicked, I guess.” 

“I don't want him to be an obstacle for us.” Dahlia considered what he’d said. “Why did you...what can I do to convince you? What can I do?” 

Alex didn’t say anything for a few seconds, thinking how not to increase his pathetic status, but didn’t see a way. “I’m worried that he’ll want you back when he knows you want someone else. I can’t for the life of me figure out how he let you go in the first place. I think he’s going to realize that.” 

It was Dahlia’s turn for silence. That wasn’t something she’d considered before. She didn’t think that would happen. He didn’t act any different today than any other day even though he knew she was being pursued. She knew that wouldn’t reassure him, though. “I don’t want him. He could actually buy me a proper ring, get a visible boner, and declare his undying love. It wouldn’t matter. I’ve felt more for you these last couple of days than I’ve felt for him our entire relationship.” 

Alex held his hand over his mouth. He wanted to apologize again for his insecurity. 

Dahlia continued on, “He knows that there’s a man that likes me because of your gift. He knows that I was very pleased this morning. I think if he really cared about what’s going on with me, I’d have certainly heard about it today. As it was, we talked about Callie and what to do for her birthday when she gets back. I think the worst that could happen is that he might realize he’s lonely. He’s frustratingly low maintenance, but I do provide companionship to him.” 

“I thought low maintenance was good.” Alex was a little relieved, but still felt a bit on edge. 

“Usually it is.” Dahlia considered her next words. “But, I want someone who needs me and makes a big deal about it. I know a lot of women would find it stifling or intrusive or even unhealthy, but I’ve been without for so long. I can’t be with someone who–” She broke off because she realized that she was making this all about her. She had wanted to reassure Alex. 

“You can’t be with someone who what?” Alex asked, insanely curious. He wanted to know, so that he could try to avoid misunderstandings in the future.

Dahlia sighed. “Well, it’s entirely your fault. I didn’t know what I was missing. I wouldn’t have known any better had you been less passionate and attentive and I would have been happy enough, or at least content.” She paused for a moment, long enough for Alex to ask again. 

“You can’t be with someone who what?” He asked again, patiently. 

“I can’t be with someone who isn’t you,” Dahlia snapped. She hadn't known she was going to say that. There was no way to take it back. She wasn't sure if she wanted to. She should probably apologize, though. “I'm–”

Alex interrupted. “I need to see you. Tonight.” There was no way he could be without her tonight. Not after that admission.

Dahlia let out a breath. “Okay. Where? Do you want–?” 

Alex smiled. “I don’t know. I hadn’t thought past needing to see you.” His smile grew wider. He remembered their conversation from the previous night. He knew what she needed. “I’ll come to yours,” he said, lowering his tone. “After dark. I’ll let you know when I get there. You unlock your door, then wait for me in your bed. With just your panties. I want you on your stomach.” 

“Okay,” Dahlia breathed. “Do you want me to wear the scarf?” 

Alex thought. Tonight he wanted to dominate a little, but more verbally, rather than physically. He just needed to be with her. “No. Is it dark in your room?” He knew that it would be easier for her to be naked in the dark, at least at first. 

“Yes, it’s dark. I think this is supposed to be a little bit different since I’m not wearing the scarf. Right?” 

“Right.” Alex was glad Dahlia figured that last bit out. He just wanted to see her. Sex would happen because that’s what he’d want to do when he saw her. He really hadn’t thought past needing to be with her physically, however that came about. He wasn’t particular tonight, but if she was nervous and needed something, he would try to provide it. He thought easing into their respective roles would be smarter for them. “Where do you live?” He grabbed a pen and paper.

Dahlia was relieved, excited, and nervous. “I live in the Warwick Jones Financial Building. Off Fifth. There’s a gated alleyway there. The code is 5559. Park behind one of the two cars. The private entrance is right there. You’ll see two buttons–N and T. Press the T and I can buzz you in. You can take the elevator up to the fourth floor. There are only three doors on the fourth floor. A store room on the right, Nick’s on the left, and mine is the farthest from where you step out. On the right.” 

“After you buzz me in, unlock your door and I’ll meet you in your room. Remember how I want you?” Alex dropped his tone a bit more. 

“Yes,” Dahlia said quietly. “Are you going to stay the night?” 

“Do you want me to?” Alex quickly followed. 

“I certainly don’t think I’d like it if you left, but I know you have work. I don’t want to be presumptuous, but I don’t think we’ll be getting much sleep.” Dahlia didn’t care how tired she was, she knew tonight would be worth it. 

Alex smiled. “Well, I’m going to be presumptuous. I’m staying tonight and I’m staying tomorrow night. You’ll be coming home with me on Thursday night. I’ve got two nights to lull you into a false sense of security. Then I’m taking you to my dungeons hoping that you’ll be mouthy, so I can see which shade of pink I like best on your bottom.” 

“Jesus Christ, Alex,” Dahlia said breathlessly. “Is it only impertinence that I have to worry about?” 

“No, I’ve got other things. You’ll find out soon enough,” Alex said, with humor. He had all sorts of plans. He might tell her some later, when he’s inside her. Inside her. He was going to have to take care of business again or he was going to be quite embarrassed later. Not that he wouldn’t be able to go again, but no point in making a mess a minute in the door. That would just be bad manners. Then he remembered Nick. “Are you going to tell Nick?” 

“No one uses the elevator, so–” Dahlia began. 

“Tell him,” Alex said decidedly. “You’re mine.” 

“I’ll tell him then. I’ll make him a sandwich and chocolate milk and say mama has a new man friend. His eyes probably won’t leave the T.V.” Dahlia might have been joking. It wasn’t too far off. 

Alex didn’t feel so pathetic. “I can pick him up a kid’s meal from somewhere if you’d prefer.” 

Dahlia laughed. “It will be fine. I think he’s ordering pizza, so I’m going to go steal a slice and tell him.” 

“Okay. I’m going to eat with Miranda. I’ll be over about nine-ish. I’ll text you first.” Alex was still a little anxious. “I can’t wait to see you.” 

“You’re not going to see me, silly. It’ll be too dark,” Dahlia teased. 

“I can’t wait to feel you and taste you. I can’t wait to be inside you,” Alex said seriously. 

“Christ. Alright. Why don’t we skip dinner?” This man was going to kill her. 

“You’re going to need your strength.” Alex suddenly remembered. “Do you–Are you on the pill? Or I might have some condoms somewhere.” 

Dahlia could hear Alex opening and closing drawers, then a breathless, “Aha! I knew I had some in here. Oh, wait. These are expired. That’s only a little bit embarrassing.” 

Dahlia muffled a laugh, a little relieved that he hadn’t been with anyone in a while. “I’m on the pill.” She said it quietly and the other side of the phone was silent for a few long seconds. 

“I can pick something up if it would make you more comfortable. I've always used condoms since Emily–my ex,” he said just as quietly. Then he remembered. “Oh, I did go in six or so months ago and I was diagnosed with Shingles. The pain was pretty horrible, but they tested me for everything because the rash was in an...inopportune place.”

“I think it's fine, then.” For some reason talking about contraception made it a little more real. 

“Good. I'll see you soon.” 

“Soon,” Dahlia echoed. “Bye.” 

“Good-bye, darling.” Alex ended the call. He got up and pulled a backpack from his closet and packed a pair of jeans, two tees, two pairs of socks, and two pairs of underwear. He went to the bathroom and pulled out a small travel case with his essentials. He looked around a bit to see if he needed anything else, but figured he could always run home if he needed something.

At the last minute, he opened the case that he’d left on his desk and pulled out the smaller flogger and packed it. He thought they could have a little fun with it tomorrow after dinner. He took his backpack and put it near his work bag. He looked inside to make sure he had his phone and computer chargers and seeing that they were there, he zipped it up. 

He wanted to keep himself busy until Miranda came home because he didn’t want to think too much. He didn’t want to think what would happen if Nick wasn’t agreeable. He knew that Dahlia wanted him, but Nick could potentially make things very difficult for them. He hoped Dahlia was right. 

 

Dahlia wanted to make the conversation with Nick go as quickly as possible because she wanted to do a little shopping for their date tomorrow. She walked over to his door, knocked twice, and opened it. He was sitting in his recliner, eating pizza, and eyes glued to the television. 

Dahlia grabbed a slice of pepperoni pizza from the box and sat down on their old loveseat. They sat in companionable silence while they ate. Once she was done, she looked at him. “I’ve got important stuff I need to talk to you about.” She looked at his face and while his eyes flickered briefly over to hers, they went back to the T.V. 

“You’re seeing someone. You’re in love. You’re going to go have hot monkey sex with him tonight,” Nick said impassively. 

Dahlia had a sudden flash of ire and she started speaking before she could stop herself. “I saw an ad in the _Chronicle_ for a BDSM club, so I emailed the owner some questions. I went to meet her and we talked for a good while. She gave her brother my number and we’ve been in constant contact the last forty-eight hours. He’s coming over tonight.” 

That certainly got Nick’s attention. He stared openly at her and put his pizza back down in the box. “Is he coming over to do–” he made a bull whip motion, “that kind of stuff to you?” 

Dahlia was amused. “Not tonight. Not on our first meeting. We’re planning that for the weekend at his place.” 

“Shouldn’t y’all maybe go out on a date first?” Nick picked his pizza back up. 

“That was the initial plan. We’re having dinner tomorrow.” Dahlia checked her watch. Seven-thirty. She had an hour if she wanted to make it home by eight-thirty. “We just couldn’t wait another night.” 

Nick didn’t say anything for a few moments, but he smiled softly at her. “Have you been with anyone since–?” 

“No. I haven’t felt inclined to until Alex,” she said honestly. 

Nick looked at her, still smiling. “Can I meet him tomorrow?” 

Dahlia nodded, relieved that this took less time than she imagined. 

“Good. When’s he coming?” Nick asked, pizza at his mouth and eyes on the T.V. again. 

“Around nine,” Dahlia said. “I’m going to do a little shopping before then for our date. I haven’t bought a proper dress in years.” 

“Off with you, then.” Nick reached into the box and grabbed another piece. He handed it to her. “Eat another.” 

She grabbed it and made her way to the door. 

“Dahlia?” 

She looked back. 

“I’m glad you found someone.” He knew she wouldn't do this unless she felt it was serious. She'd had a few opportunities after they'd divorced, but she'd never brought any man home, even when Callie was out. He'd watched her today. Even he could tell that she was in love. He'd never made Dahlia look the way that she looked at breakfast today.

Oh, but she was a crier. “Thanks.” She thought about saying that she wished he could find someone, but she knew that would irritate him. Besides, his eyes were back to the television once again.

Nick put his pizza down when she left. He would always consider Dahlia the one that got away. Not because of some great love they shared, but because they were so good together. They were raising a well-adjusted and respectful child. Callie was truly the very best of both of them. He knew it wasn't fair considering he didn't love her the way she needed, but he needed her in his life. He _did_ love her, as much as he knew how to love a person who wasn't his daughter. Sometimes he wished he would have faked it better. 

He felt that their situation was perfect and he didn't know what would change if a new person was introduced to their family dynamic. Nick smiled, not knowing that Alex and Dahlia had already had their first Nick related trial. He'd bring breakfast a little early tomorrow. Might as well let Alex know that Nick wasn't going anywhere and that he wasn't a threat. He needed Alex to see, for Dahlia's sake.

He didn't know if he was capable of loving a woman properly. Even though the results of his medical testing proved Dahlia's theory, he still felt that it wasn't just a low testosterone issue. He wondered if because he'd been ill for so long, it would take some time to feel like other men felt. He was curious and even a little bit hopeful, but he was a realist and he knew that he had some deeply ingrained bad habits that would be hard for him to break. He knew that he'd be going head-to-head with his own obstinacy. He wasn't looking forward to it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sexytimes!

**Chapter 5**

 

 

Dahlia found The Dress at the first boutique she stopped at. This was a local designer’s store she hadn’t patronized before, but the window displays were all so beautiful. She'd always wanted to go, but really hadn't any reason to get anything to impress. Her discount store sundresses were her staples.

The dress was the same color as the scarf, as well as being the same material. It was sleeveless with a high scoop neckline and fell mid-thigh. This wouldn’t show her promised cleavage, but the woman who was working claimed that the dress was intended to be worn without a bra. Dahlia balked at first, but the woman insisted she try it on. So, she did. And it was stunning. She did have the problem that large-breasted women have, so the nice woman gave her some weird tape that “all the celebrities use” and it kept her in place. So long as she didn’t start running. Dahlia intended to get some shoes that would prevent that anyway.

She perused the lingerie and came away with a garter set and thigh high stockings in the same color as the dress. She also picked up a few beautiful bras and matching panties. She had a real thing for Victorian-style underthings and these were certainly a modern twist. She wasn't sure if Alex would find them sexy, but she had, so she bought them.

Shoes were a little harder. She had pictured classic heels, but she wasn’t confident walking in them, so she was given a pair of black leather, thick heel ankle boots to try on. They were perfect. They were also on clearance. Considering she was spending more money in one place than she ever had, save for a piece of furniture, she was grateful for the discount.

She made it back home at nearly nine and after putting her new purchases away, she rushed through her shower. As soon as she stepped out, her phone went off.

 

On my way, darling. I can't fucking wait to be with you.

 

Dahlia’s stomach dropped when she got the text. She dried off as quickly as possible. She hung the towel and stopped in front of the mirror and despaired. Her hair was a nightmare. She slipped on a pair of plain black panties and grabbed her phone and put it where she could see it. There was no way she could relax before he got here. She put in a little curling cream, not needing a lot. Her hair wasn’t thick, but she had a lot of rebellious curls. Curls that Alex liked, apparently. She figured she had time to diffuse for about five minutes and that would get most of the moisture out.

She was able to get it dry enough in four minutes and luckily she was able to calm herself somewhat. Until she heard the buzzer. She walked to the door to let him in. She unlocked her door and tried to prevent herself from running to her bed, but just barely. All the lights were turned off except for the lights from the window in her living room. That should lead him to her room easily. Her bed was a queen, on a low platform, with the sheets and blankets pushed haphazardly around. She hated a made bed. She always enjoyed the decadent look of mussed bedding.

She positioned herself in the middle of her bed, on her stomach as instructed. Her breasts didn’t allow for her to be completely horizontal, but placing a pillow under her head and upper chest allowed her some comfort. She heard the door open, then close, and the locks clicking into place. She tried to get her breathing under control.

She didn’t hear him at the doorway to her room until several minutes later and it had felt like a lifetime. He didn't move for a long moment, then she heard her door close. The first thing she felt was his hand skimming her calf. She jerked in surprise, and tried to relax immediately. She had never been this nervous in her life.

His hand trailed over the back of her thigh and she was startled to feel his lips as well. She felt him crawl on the bed and suddenly her whole backside was being touched and kissed and she felt as if she might cry. She felt completely revered and she hoped that she didn't disappoint.

 

Alex tried not to speed on his way over. He was aroused again even after he efficiently took care of himself in the shower. No matter. He felt confident that he could please her, not out of arrogance, but of pure desire. He was experienced, but this was the first time he'd truly wanted to impress. He wanted Dahlia to be so satisfied that she'd never want anyone again. He hadn't lied when he texted her that the night before.

He parked in the alley as she instructed, gathered his things, and walked up to the side door. He pressed the buzzer. He heard the lock give and immediately opened the door, then walked briskly to the elevator. He didn’t know elevators could be this slow, but it was a small building without the need of something more efficient. Or maybe his patience was wearing thin.

Once he got to her floor, he saw her door first even though it was the farthest. He walked quietly and slowly down the hall, catching his breath, and stood outside her door for a minute before he opened it. He wasn't sure if his heart would slow anyway. He stepped inside and was taken in by the lights of the street. He locked the door.

He supposed she left those open for him. There were four large, not quite floor length windows and a high ceiling. Not quite lofty, but still impressive. He placed his backpack and work bag on a bar chair near the kitchen. He removed his shoes and placed them neatly out of the way. He pulled his shirt over his head and draped it on the sofa along with his jeans and underwear.

He looked down the hallway and saw a choice of doors, all open. Alex realized that Dahlia never told him which room was hers. He was tempted to call out, but he didn't want to interrupt the quiet tension. As he peered into the first room, there was a little light shining through the window. He could easily see by all the Broadway posters that it must be Callie’s room. He checked her bed to be sure. Neatly made with an endless supply of throw pillows, and no Dahlia.

As he walked, he knew the bathroom instantly because of the reflective tile floor. Hers would be the last door again. As he took another step forward, he could see a sliver of skin cut by the light, reflecting a glimpse of her pale skin. It served as a beacon to him, an invitation to touch something that would only belong to him. Could only be his. He opened the door and looked at her naked back and bottom framed by black panties. He couldn't wait to take them off.

He walked into the room and felt the welcome addition of carpet against his feet. The rest of her home, with the exception of Callie’s room and the bathrooms, were the same cold concrete that he had at his place. He closed the door softly. God, how he wanted.

It was pitch black in her room. He reached out and found her leg and tickled his fingers across it. He traced up the back of her knee and touched her thigh with his mouth. It wasn’t a kiss, but an involuntary taste of her flesh. He crawled in close to her and ran his hands along her pantie lines while moving his mouth and tongue over whatever he could reach–her upper thighs, lower back, and over the bare skin of her bottom that wasn’t covered by her panties. He wanted to unwrap her now.

Dahlia was silent except for surprised gasps and sighs. As he slowly tugged the material down, he pressed his lips to all the newly bared skin. He didn't want to leave any part of her untouched. He climbed up her body slowly, his mouth and hands getting a little more persistent as he moved. He continued onto her shoulder and neck, and pressed his erection into her bottom. Then she moaned.

He continued to touch her a little more, taking into his memory the feel and taste of her. She was soft and lush, and he couldn’t get enough of running his hands up and down her rounded hips. She was a feast for his senses and he couldn’t fathom how he would survive with a lamp in the room.

But he would certainly try.

Dahlia was trying her best not to move her hips. She felt as if she was going to break apart at any moment. He’d left no skin untouched and now he was pressed along her bottom. She felt the length of him and he felt so thick, so full; her body was trying its best to pull him in.

Alex pushed Dahlia’s right thigh up while bending her knee. He began kissing her face and when he moved his hand to her pussy, he found that she was completely ready for him.

Dahlia moaned as he moved a finger inside her. When he pressed two in, she started to move her hips in earnest. He was very pleased with her responsiveness. “Need to be inside you,” he breathed in her ear and she flexed her hips up. He was inside her in one swift motion. He moved very slowly, almost all the way out, then as deeply as he could go. He kissed near her mouth and she tried impossibly to turn her face towards him and made a small frustrated noise when that didn’t work. She lifted up just slightly to move her left arm inward and to twist just a bit.

His mouth met hers. It was fast and fiery and without any real effort, Dahlia had been maneuvered onto her back, with him still buried inside her, thrusting at a languid pace. He was grasping both sides of her face now, consuming her mouth, and sucking the soul straight out of her.

Alex had lost control of the situation completely. Not one of his fantasies included kissing her. He'd never make that mistake again. Once he’d tasted her mouth, he’d been driven by a different instinct. He didn’t care about anything but forcing his way into every place he could fit.

He moved one hand from her face to a neglected breast. They were soft and voluptuous and Alex couldn’t wait to see them. His hand moved down to her thigh and bottom and she moaned through their kiss. He reluctantly ended the kiss, but not his slow thrusting. He pressed his forehead against hers. “Hi,” he breathed.

“Hi,” she laughed breathlessly. She ran her hands over his face, thumbs over eyebrows, cheek bones, and through his hair. She touched his chest, running fingers through sparse hair, and over to his back. He was skinny and she could feel the notches on his spine. He fit perfectly over her. In her. She flexed her hips to meet his thrusts.

“Mmmm, I like that.” Alex buried his head in her neck and moaned, upping his pace. “Want you to come.”

Dahlia kissed his cheek and touched his face again, memorizing him. “I’ve only ever done it by myself.”

He moved his head up and kissed her. He loved a challenge. “Maybe I can talk you through it,” he said against her lips, smiling. He thrust harder. “When I brought myself off earlier at work, I came before I could even imagine your lips on my cock. But earlier when I was showering, I managed to come in your mouth.”

Dahlia moaned and arched her back, pressing her chest up against him. He pushed himself up on his knees without slowing down. Using both hands to touch her, he bent down and sucked a nipple into his mouth, laving it with his tongue. He copied the movement for the other one. “Do you know what I plan on for you tomorrow?” He actually didn't have any set plans, but she didn't know that. Being inside her made him imagine so many delectable outcomes.

Dahlia was too distracted to answer with his thumb caressing her nipple. “I’ve brought a flogger. I’m going to see how much you can take. And if you can take a lot, I’ll let you suck me. If you can make me come with just your mouth, then get me hard again, I will let you come. On my face. On my tongue.” He sped up because Dahlia was moaning and thrashing now. He moved his thumb down and moved it clumsily over her clitoris several times. She stiffened up and stopped breathing. He could feel her orgasm squeezing his cock and he faltered in his movements, but only briefly. His body reacted hard and fast when he felt her start breathing again and become boneless underneath him. It didn’t take him long to empty inside her. He nuzzled the side of her face until she moved to kiss him. They kissed for long moments.

Dahlia had never had an orgasm during sex. She thought maybe it was different for some girls. One friend claimed that she could come multiple times throughout. Another said she never did. Dahlia could climax on her own, easily, quickly, and multiple times. She knew her body very well when she was alone. She felt like she didn’t know her body anymore. She had given it to someone else. Someone who wanted to give it pleasure. She tried earnestly not to cry.

Alex sighed and rested his forehead against hers again. He wanted to see if he could make her come again. He was still inside her and he was still erect. He didn’t think that would change going by how miserable he’d been all day. He was going to concentrate on her for now. He smiled and said, “Tell me how you usually make yourself come.” He ran his hand down and cupped her breast, leaning down to take another brief taste of her nipple. “Tell me,” he commanded.

Dahlia took a deep breath. It was hard to when Alex was manipulating her so easily. “Mostly I can just rub myself quickly until I come. Usually takes a minute. Sometimes I come twice.”

“Like this?” Alex asked innocently as he cupped his hand over her, and skimmed over her clitoris with his fingers.

“Yes,” she said shakily.

He rubbed her steadily. He figured that since his cock showed no interest in stopping the proceedings, he would take advantage of that. He was going to see how many times he could make her come. He thrust just a little to give her his intentions. He brought his mouth back to her breasts and licked and sucked as much skin as he could reach, all while moving his thumb in quick steady strokes. Within the minute he could already feel her breath quicken and her pussy tighten around him. He could get addicted to that.

She was a bit more quiet than he wanted and he wanted her to lose control. She did say she needed to learn. As soon as she relaxed, he leaned and kissed her, biting her bottom lip. “I want you to grab your headboard and hold on tight,” he told her. Dahlia gasped. She reached up behind her and grabbed the headboard as she felt Alex sit up on his knees between her legs and used one hand to grab the place on the headboard between her hands. She understood what was happening a split second before he began to fuck her. There was no other way to put it. With one hand he was alternating time between her clitoris and her breasts. He would rub her until she felt the beginning of an orgasm then he would move to her breasts. He was driving her mad.

Alex loved having this control over her. She was completely falling apart and he could still go a little longer. He was going to make her beg. He moved against her clitoris until he felt her body react and knew she was about to come. He removed his hand and went back to her breast.

“Please Alex. Please,” she said desperately. He moved his hand back. “Yes. Like that. Just like that. Need you.” He moved his hand away again and bent down to kiss her protests away.

“You are so wet. Why are you so wet?” Alex slowed his pace and circled his hips. She was soaked. “Tell me why, if you want me to finish this.”

Dahlia wanted to throttle him, but if his words could make her break apart at the seams, maybe she could do the same to him. She steadied her breath. “There’s this guy...he’s got this cock, and it fits just right inside me. He told me that I would get to suck it, and if I’m lucky, he’ll come in my mouth.”

“Is that right?” Alex breathed, upping his pace.

“Yes,” Dahlia moaned. “I haven’t told him that I’ve been wet since I first heard from him. It’s really becoming a problem. Do you think I should tell him that? What do you think he’ll do?”

Oh she was good, thought Alex. She turned it back on him. He put his hand back on her clitoris and started fucking her at a brutal pace. “If he were to find out, it might be very inconvenient,” he bit out.

“Why?” She said as best as she could. She was about to come again.

“Because he might fuck her in the most inconvenient places if she’s always wet. He’d hate for her to be miserable. He only wants to please her.” He was done talking. He bent his head down to latch onto a nipple and her body spasmed in a way that hadn’t happened that evening. He stroked her clitoris harder and she let out a feral moan, stiffening and tightening around him. He finished soon after.

“Holy mother fuck,” Dahlia said breathlessly. “Fucking fuck.”

Alex fell beside her and smiled. His cock was down for the count. “You have a filthy mouth.”

Dahlia would have laughed if she could. “I should probably clean it up. No cock sucking for me, I guess.”

Alex rolled quickly on top of her again and nudged her legs open, resting on her. They were both wrecked as well as the sheets. “I love your filthy mouth,” he murmured against it. “And I’m going to love doing filthy things to it.”

Sudden shyness swept over Dahlia. “I hope that I will please you. I–” she broke off, embarrassed.

Alex kissed her reassuringly, then he laughed. “I’m fairly sure you could just breathe on it and I’d embarrass myself.”

Dahlia appreciated his reassurance. His relentless desire for her already boosted her self-esteem in a way that she’d never experienced before. She wasn’t very confident with oral sex because she hadn’t had much experience, but also because the experience she did have was always negative. She used it on occasion to get Nick more interested, but he never got too excited about it. It took her years to get over that. Nick’s saving grace was that he never intended to hurt her.

“When do you need to be up tomorrow?” Dahlia asked as he rolled halfway off her. She didn’t think he planned on moving again.

“I need to be out of here by ten or so,” he mumbled, face buried in her arm.

“That’s probably when I’ll go down. Do you want the shower first?”

He shook his head. “Don’t need a shower.”

“What? You’re like covered from–” Dahlia gesticulated to her entire bottom half before remembering that he couldn’t see. “I’ve made a mess of you.”

“I know.” She felt him nod against her arm. “I want to go to work tomorrow with you all over me.”

Dahlia didn’t have anything to say to that, but she was warm all over. The next thing she heard and felt was light snores against her arm. She didn’t know how to escape his clutches without waking him, but she needed to go to the bathroom. She sighed and wormed her way out slowly. As she closed herself in the bathroom and turned on the light, she wondered if she should sneak a peak of him. She didn't know if she could wait until morning.

She went and looked at herself in the mirror. There were faint love bites all over her breasts. He seemed rather obsessed with them and she smiled as she felt how tender they were. That dress was going to kill him and she couldn’t imagine how great the sex would be. He said he’d brought a flogger, and she had a little bit of knowledge of what that was from the Internet, but didn’t know much else.

She cleaned herself up as best as she could without a shower, then slowly opened the door. Alex was curled up in the center of her bed like an indulgent child. She nearly wanted to go check his license to see if he was lying about his age. She walked closer and her eyes made their way down his body.

“I guarantee you that I’m of age,” Alex said with humor, his voice certainly not matching his face. It was usually an issue that he was self-conscious about. He wondered how many women hadn't taken him seriously, or worse yet, only fucked him because of some teen boy fantasy. He was strangely comfortable about it around Dahlia. Probably because their relationship had started with a kink and progressed quickly from there. It wasn't about their looks.

Dahlia’s shocked eyes met his. He was staring at her breasts and she felt the urge to cover herself. “I was about to go check your wallet.”

Alex’s smile grew wider. “Come here,” he commanded softly.

Dahlia crawled onto the bed as he turned on his back. He pulled her to him and guided her on top of him until she was settled on his cock. Her breasts were exactly where he wanted them.

“Your mom’s not going to come looking for you, is she?” Dahlia smiled and knew that she was going to pay for that one.

He smiled and shook his head. His hands were running over her hips, but his eyes hadn’t left her breasts for more than a second.

“I don’t know what you’re contemplating, but I think you’re out for the count,” Dahlia told him, shifting a little. She didn’t want to crush him.

Suddenly, Alex sat up, nearly sending her backward, but he put his arms around her, pressing them together tightly. Then he kissed her, grabbing at her back almost painfully. She felt his cock harden and he pulled her legs around him, so that she sat more snugly in his lap. That move also sent him deep inside her.

“You were saying?” Alex asked as he established a slow rhythm.

Dahlia kissed him. It was many minutes before they stopped.

Alex began to get noticeably restless. Dahlia could tell he wanted to fuck her faster, but with the weight of her, and his general fatigue, it just wasn’t going to be easy. So, she leaned back and let her arms take the weight of her when she put them behind her on the bed. What she didn’t take into account was that her breasts would be prominently displayed and he no longer needed to hold her in place.

He looked at her in complete surprise and adoration. Dahlia wished she could have watched him more attentively, but he went to work on her quickly, and she was a quivering mess by the time she felt him snapping his hips upward. She opened her eyes, still breathing harshly, and her eyes connected with his while he was coming inside her. At that perfect moment, she was glad that he had awoken. He pulled her to him and kissed her, rolling her on her side.

He could barely keep his eyes open and she held him until his breath slowed. “Wake me up early so I don’t miss the bus.” She felt Alex smile against her collarbone and she rolled her eyes.

She escaped his sleepy arms and went to the bathroom again. She turned out the lights and when she crawled into the bed, he was completely out.

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next morning. Heh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! That pesky Real Life.

**Chapter 6**

 

 

Dahlia woke abruptly the next morning when she heard a clicking sound and saw a bright light. When she opened her eyes, she saw Nick at the end of her bed with a diabolical smile and a camera.

“What the _fuck_ , you gigantic–” Dahlia felt Alex stir next to her.

Nick chuckled at her irritation and smiled a little more fondly looking at the display. “It’s quite a nice picture, really.”

She felt Alex stiffen and knew he must be awake. He had his body covering a good portion of hers and his face was buried in her hair.

“Let me see.” Dahlia reached out with her hand that wasn’t occupied.

Nick handed over the camera. “I brought breakfast.” He wagged his eyebrows and walked backward out the room and shut the bedroom door.

“Prick,” she hissed under her breath.

“Come in your room often, does he?” Alex’s voice was thick with sleep. She couldn’t tell if he was annoyed or not.

Dahlia rubbed his arm. “Usually I’m awake and ready for work when he brings breakfast. I guess I should have made it clear that he had the day off.” She turned on the camera and sucked in a breath when she saw the picture. It was better than quite nice. They would be spooning if Dahlia wasn’t halfway on her back. The blanket barely covered the swell of one breast and his upper arm halfway covered the one closest to him. The top part of Alex’s face was pressed into the back of her neck, half obscured by her hair, his mouth was pressed against her shoulder. The blanket came down, half covering her breast and moving downwards across her hip and his pelvis. Their legs were bare and entwined.

“Can I take that camera with me today?” Alex was clearly awake now. Dahlia looked over at him to see if he was angry. She sighed. He was adorable.

It was still dark in the room, but the light of the camera was bright. He bent down and kissed her lightly, but lingered until she’d forgotten he’d asked a question. “I want to get some prints of this.”

“Oh. Sure.”

“I heard breakfast mentioned.” Alex reached over and grabbed Dahlia’s phone to check the time. “It’s only nine, so we have enough time to eat, and get dressed.” It was only inevitable that he’d have an erection, and he pressed against her hip.

“Alex!” Dahlia hoped she sounded scandalized, but with the way he was turning her on her side and running his hand down her bottom to get her ready, he was perfectly fine with her ex in the next room behind an unlocked door. It might have been the reason he felt so impatient to be inside of her.

“You’re already wet,” Alex said thickly as he slowly explored her pussy with his fingers. He shifted forward and pushed his hard cock inside her and she turned her head into her pillow. It was hard for him to reach her clitoris in this position, but he was able to pull up her leg and reach under it. With quick precise movements, he was able to get her off within a few minutes, and him mere seconds after. She huffed out a laugh and pulled herself out of bed and ran for the bathroom. She was too quick for him to appreciate the view.

Alex still needed another minute to catch his breath. As he came back down to earth, he realized every single bit of clothing was in with Nick.

Dahlia opened up the bathroom door, smirking, and threw him a bathrobe. He pulled it on and it covered, so he could manage breakfast with the ex-husband in it. God, this was weird. He would manage for Dahlia.

It wasn’t until he was seated on a stool across from Nick after being properly introduced that he saw how very pretty the robe was. How very girly. He looked askance at Dahlia. “Would you rather I keep men’s robes in my bathroom?” She asked with a smile.

Nick had gotten plates and the cream and sugar all ready on the table. He poured the coffee in three different mugs. He'd brought breakfast tacos. Once they were settled and eating, Nick looked at Alex and said with a teasing smile. “Sorry man, I’m gonna be honest. I checked your license.”

Alex sighed heavily. “I was hoping to have her fall in love with me before I told her my real age. Thanks a lot.” His huff was every bit an insolent teenager. If he could have kept the smile off his face, he might have had him.

Nick lifted his coffee cup in a salute. Dahlia sighed and finished her coffee, listening as Alex and Nick talked about their jobs, incompetent people, traffic, and sports. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. It was an interesting feeling to fall in love with someone before you see them, but looking at him, she knew that she was in as deep as she could be. It scared her a little bit, but she felt a contentment that had always alluded her.

Next thing she knew, Alex scrambled off the chair with a curse. She watched as he grabbed his clothing and ran for the bedroom.

“I’ve got to go open. It’s ten. You’ll be down in a bit?” Nick asked.

Dahlia nodded. “I'm going to call Callie first.”

“Tell her I will text her later.” He grabbed his coffee and left. A few moments after he shut the door, Alex walked out of her room quickly, coming straight for her, and pulling her up for a very thorough kiss. He pulled away, eyes intense, as she tried to catch her breath. He smiled at her, turned, put the camera in his bag, and was out the door like a bandit.

Dahlia walked to her room and looked at her bed. She wondered if she should even bother dealing with the sheets until tomorrow. She wondered what she was going to tell Callie. She'd worry about it after her shower.

 

Dahlia finally made it down around eleven. She had talked to Callie for a good while. She’d made it sound as if she and Alex had known each other a couple months. She didn’t want her daughter to know that she’d fallen hopelessly within seventy-two hours and that she’d not deny him anything. She also knew that once Callie was home, she’d want to set a good example. The lines were blurred in her head right now because being without him for even a night, seemed impossible.

She grabbed her work from her desk and moved a chair, so she could sit in front of Nick’s desk. He raised his head from the mound of papers in front of him. “How is Callie this morning? I didn’t talk to her too much yesterday.”

“She’s fine. She’s having so much fun.” Dahlia looked at him. “I told her that Alex and I have been talking for a while. A couple months.”

Nick nodded, working his pencil over the paper. “Where did you tell her you met?” He grinned a little at this.

Dahlia rolled her eyes. “I said that his sister is a business acquaintance of mine and she introduced us. She didn’t inquire further. She was more interested in me actually having a boyfriend.”

Nick smiled a little wider. “How are you going to handle sleepovers?”

“For now, we’ll do them when Callie is at a friend’s. Maybe you can take her to the beach for the weekend a little more often.” Dahlia shrugged.

“Maybe.” Nick looked up at her. “Callie will see straight through that since you usually go, too.”

“Oh, I know. She’ll indulge me for a bit.” Dahlia smirked at him. “Besides, all she’s going to want to do is set you up with someone now.”

Nick sighed heavily. He hated this subject.

Dahlia said gently, “I still think you should see a doctor. If your hormones check out as fine, I’ll leave it alone forever. I really will. I promise. I'll let you stay a hermit.” She knew she should leave it alone, but she wanted him to be as happy as she was.

“I did go,” he said quietly. “You were right all along.”

“Nick.” She looked at him, concern visible. “What made you go?”

“Remember a few months ago when I felt like I'd been coming down with something?” At her nod, he continued. “Well, a few weeks ago I realized that I still felt like that, and I didn't remember what it felt like to feel good.”

If Dahlia hadn't already forgiven him, she would have thrown something at his head. As it was, she was a little bit irritated. She'd begged him for years to go see someone. She'd told him one night before she'd filed for divorce that he either had low testosterone or he was gay. If he wouldn't get checked, she would assume he was gay. Not her finest moment, but she was at the end of her rope. She would try to be supportive. “I'm glad you got checked.”

“They gave me a shot that I have to have once a week. I had my first one yesterday. I'm scared that I'll start humping furniture or become addicted to porn.” Nick was more serious than he wanted to be. “Apparently, it was really low, really really low, and she said that it may take a few months to get the dosage right.”

“I guess I'll try to watch where I sit, then,” Dahlia teased. “At least until I can hook you up with Alex's very hot sister. So, what do you think of Alex?”

Nick let her comment slide for now. “When I saw you two together this morning, I realized that you had wasted too much time with me. I’m happy that you found him. He seems to really like you.”

Dahlia was tearing up again. “Do you think so? I really like him.”

Nick gave her a ‘who are you kidding’ look and shook his head.

“But it’s fast, isn’t it? Really fast?” Dahlia asked, not hiding her anxiety well.

“It is.” Nick looked at thoughtfully. “I think–I don’t know.” He sighed and leaned back in his chair. “I think that you liked his sister and trusted somewhat that she wasn’t going to let you get eaten alive by some guy in a gimp suit. He being her brother only gives her motives credibility.”

Dahlia snorted. “What I wouldn’t give to go through your Internet history.”

Nick smiled, but didn’t look her in the eye. “I think that combined with him being so attentive, you were able to let your guard down a bit.”

He sat up and looked at her. “Just from the little bit that I saw this morning, I think that you both feel things very passionately. I don’t think either of you stood a chance once you got to talking.”

“The things he says to me–” Dahlia shook her head. “I just don’t know if they are completely sincere or just him trying to turn me on. Mostly it’s fine, but sometimes he’ll say something that anyone would wait their whole life to hear, and it just shatters me. I believe him when he says them, but it’s happening so fast.”

“Don't you think he's thinking that, too?” Nick asked seriously.

“Do you think he feels like I’m–,” she moved her hands around to make her point.

“Expressive? Wordy?” It was going to be a long day, he thought. “I don’t think he’s wanting for anything when it comes to you.”

That was the nicest thing Nick ever said to her and it really meant so much. She walked around the desk and gave him a quick hug.

“I never said I was sorry to you,” he said when she pulled away. He looked sincere.

She couldn’t stop the few tears that fell. She brushed them away quickly. She didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything.

He looked at her for a long moment and smiled. “Let’s try to get a few hours in. I’m going out tonight, and I’m fairly certain your night is going to be a long one.”

“Where are you going?” She was surprised.

“Well, I’ve got to go pick up my gimp suit, then I need to get some groceries.”

“Oh, we’d better get some work done, then,” Dahlia said, standing up, picking up her chair, and walking to her desk. One day, she'd brave his Internet history. One day.

Some hours later she heard her phone. She hadn’t really stopped since she started, but she had eaten a half sandwich and chips that Nick pushed at her. The great thing about Nick's obsession with food was that she never did without.

 

Hungry. What are we doing for dinner?

Forgotten about our date so soon?

I thought we were just cuddling this evening.

Very intense cuddling. After you take me to dinner.

I forgot the clothes I was going to wear tonight.

After work, go home and change and then come pick me up.

Well, aren't you bossy? I think there's been a misunderstanding about who's supposed to be the one in charge here. ;-) I get off at 4. Can I come see you for a bit first?

:-D Sure. Maybe you can flog me on my desk.

Gotta go find me a bathroom. Give me a few.

:-D

Speaking of flogging, I want you to choose a safe word.

Will I need one tonight!?

I don’t know. Maybe.

I didn’t know I could be both scared and intrigued.

I don’t ever want you to be scared.

Maybe not scared. Anxious?

That's not much better. Pick a word.

Schadenfreude.

:-D That will do. I’ll see you in and hour or so. I’ve loved having you all over me today. I may not shower again for a week. ;-)

Schadenfreude!

Fine. I’ll shower. You’ll have to dirty me back up for tomorrow, though.

You are disgusting and I think I might like it a little. Don’t tell anyone.

;-) I haven't asked, but do you have any concerns or questions? Are there things that you see as necessary?

I just want to start out slow. I worry that I won't handle the pain well. I mean, that I don't handle it well enough to please you. I worry that while I want to submit that I won't be able to fully because of fear of the pain. I want the pain, though. I want to see how much I can take. The only thing I require is your praise when I've pleased you and your patience. What do you require?

 

Oh, this is exactly what Alex wanted to hear.

 

I require your complete honesty and trust. I require your sincerity. Even if we don't get to a good flogging for months, it's your willingness to get there. With me. It's not about the pain to me. It's about us doing our best to get to the same place together. Your absolute submission and your absolute trust in me. My absolute pleasure and absolute devotion to you.

 

God, he made something that sounded so dysfunctional, sound so appealing.

 

We're on the same page, then. I'm looking forward to learning and growing with you. I'll do everything I can to make sure you're pleased.

And I'll make sure you're taken care of. It's my pleasure.

 

Dahlia was able to put in another good hour before she felt someone over her shoulder. Nick liked to do that sometimes to irritate her. “Don’t make me shank you with my pencil, because I fucking will.”

The body immediately moved, which surprised her, but then she heard Nick speaking quietly behind her. “You just got off easy. Of course, I nearly always stay and the swearing gets more intense. I have a scar–right here–where she stapled me once.”

Dahlia stood up rapidly and turned around. Alex looked a bit shell-shocked, and he was standing awkwardly, holding his bag in front of him. She’d never seen him look like this, not that she’d seen a lot.

They stared at each other for a moment until Nick lowered his shirt, cleared his throat and said uselessly, “I’ll just be in here then.” He closed them in together.

A split second later he had her pressed against her desk, bag dropped, and he was opening his pants. “Touch me and do it quickly,” he said with a tremor to his voice.

She wrapped her hand around him tentatively, but he wasn’t having any of it. “Harder.” He wrapped his hand around hers and showed her.

He was serious about the hard and quick part. It was less than a minute later when he spoke in a rush, but the voice held an edge. “Get on your knees. Don’t make me ask again.”

Her eyes were wide, but she lowered herself to her knees. She looked up at him and he groaned. “Put your mouth around the head. Quickly!”

She complied instantly and after it was all said and done, she was glad they’d had so much sex because it was quite a different experience to have a mouth full of come for the very first time. It was actually nice that he’d done it this way the first time instead of a full on blow job, she thought wryly.

“Swallow it,” he whispered roughly, putting his hand softly around her neck.

As soon as she did, he pulled her up and kissed her sloppily. He pulled away slightly and rested his forehead against hers while he did up his pants. He chuckled. “I apparently wasn’t kidding about your dirty mouth.”

Dahlia was a little breathless, and a little bit more confused. And quite aroused. He pulled back further and looked at her with concern.

“Are you okay?”

She nodded. “Let’s go upstairs.” She had only one thing on her mind.

He was still looking at her when he reached down for his bag. “Was that okay?” He pointed to where she was standing.

She nodded.

“What is it, Dahlia? I’m sorry if I crossed a line.” He looked stricken and she immediately went to wrap herself around him.

“I’m trying to figure out if I should apologize for threatening to shank you with my pencil, or threaten to shank you with my pencil more often,” she said, barely audible against his shoulder, but he heard her.

He laughed breathlessly. “You certainly don’t need to apologize. Like I said,” he punctuated with kisses and nips, “I–” nip, “really–” kiss, “love–” he kissed her deeply, tongue caressing hers, “your–” nip, “dirty mouth.” He finished with a loud peck.

“You’re still in for it. I'm not quite done with you, yet.” He pulled her toward the elevator. When they stepped in, he pressed the button and pulled her toward him, kissing her slowly like a lover. She sighed when the elevator opened and followed him out, her hand firmly in his.

As they got to the door, he stood behind her and kissed her neck, distracting her greatly from finding her keys, that she was sure had fallen to the bottom of her bag. She decided to try something. “If you don’t back the fuck off, I’m going to make you fuck me here. And if you make me come, I’ll let you fuck my face.”

He put his full weight on her and pressed her roughly against the door. “You are so going to pay for that.” He reached under her dress, spreading her thighs, then he plunged two fingers into her roughly, making her cry out. She felt him tear at her panties, but she also heard the elevator ascend. Alex must have heard it, too. “Find the keys.”

She reached toward the bottom of her bag and fished them out. They were just in the door when Alex dropped to his knees and reached under her dress to pull her sodden panties down. She felt his mouth cover her pussy and she staggered backward. His head appeared from under her dress. “Couch?” His mouth was wet.

She nodded and he stood quickly, and pushed her toward the sofa. He got to his knees and pulled her legs towards him, so that her bottom was right on the edge. Then he looked her in the eye and slowly pushed one thigh upward so that her foot was flat on the cushion. He moved his mouth, applying tiny closed-mouth kisses down her thigh toward her pussy, eyes glued to her. Once he made it to the junction of her inner thigh, he closed his eyes, opened his mouth and inhaled. Dahlia thought she might pass out.

He opened his eyes, looked up, and pushed his tongue inside her. She nearly came unseated. As he fucked her slowly, he raised the other thigh so that it was identical to the other one. The deeper he went, the more he squeezed her inner thighs and she was sure that she would have fingertip bruises. She would cherish them.

He pulled his face back slightly and licked slowly upward to her clitoris and he squeezed her thighs harder. It occurred to her that he was pressing down because she’d probably try to suffocate him otherwise.

As soon as his mouth closed around her, she cried out. He then proceeded to give her the most intense orgasm of her entire life. He raised his face and stared at her limp body, dress bunched up across her hips, and chest heaving. Her thighs had fallen to the side. He pressed his clothed erection against her.

“I’m going to mess up your pants.” She tried to ineffectually push him away.

“I want you to mess up my pants,” he said as he pulled the straps to her dress down. Once it was pushed down to her waist, he reached behind her to unclip her bra.

“I had intended for this to be quick, but you make that difficult for me,” Alex said as he threw her bra to the other side of the sofa.

Dahlia blushed, but didn’t say anything. She watched as he pulled his shirt over his head. She began to pull at his belt and he smiled lazily at her and helped her along. “What do you want?”

“I want you inside of me,” Dahlia said instantly.

He rubbed his covered erection against her and arranged her thighs back to the way he wanted. He ran his fingers over the forming bruises and she moaned.

“I can make you come with my mouth again, if you’d like,” he said pressing two fingers into her wetness, and then another, filling her up.

She moaned, and he continued. “I can fuck you with my fingers and eat you. If I do that, I’ll really want to fuck you after and I won’t be able to be gentle.” He removed his fingers and unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, pulled his cock out, then pushed it inside of her, thrusting at a snail's pace. He continued, “or I could just fuck you exactly like this.”

Dahlia tried pushing her hips against him, but he pushed his fingers deeper into her bruises. “You fucked me hard last night. I think I managed just fine.” She arched her back to distract him, hoping he’d go faster and deeper.

He bent down to tease her nipples with his mouth, but still kept up the maddening pace. “You did do just fine, but this time I’m going to turn you over and fuck you as hard as I can. Harder than I’ve ever dared to fuck anyone. I can’t guarantee that you’ll enjoy it.” He sounded a little crazed.

“Yes,” she moaned and tried to sit up, so she could turn around. Dahlia couldn’t imagine not enjoying it. She wanted it.

Alex laughed lowly. “Not yet. Let me make sure you’re ready.” He pulled out, causing Dahlia to give a small distressed noise, but he immediately pressed three fingers inside her and latched onto her clitoris. He wrapped one arm around her thigh to hold her down.

“Oh God, please. Oh fuck, please Alex. Please!” Dahlia begged, and Alex upped his pace. “Yes. Oh yes. Alex, so good. Don’t stop!”

He felt her clench around his fingers and he let go of her leg, allowing her to move against him. He flattened his tongue against her and she was able to thrust against his face to control her own orgasm. It was even better than the first and she rode it out with a stream of low moans.

Alex was trembling with need. He stood shakily and pushed his pants to the floor. He stepped out of them and before he lost his nerve, he looked into Dahlia’s dazed eyes. “Turn over. Now.”

She complied immediately, but sluggishly. He roughly pulled her hips back and seated himself inside her. And he fucked her. It wasn’t that different from the night before, but in this position, he could go deeper, and he wasn’t going to get distracted by anything else. The sound of his groin smacking against her bottom was music to his ears and he looked down, mesmerized by her pale whiteness. Remembering that he was going to get to use the flogger on her tonight made him briefly lose his stride, but it didn’t matter. He started to come within seconds after.

He maneuvered her onto her side and spooned up behind her, his softening cock, slipping out of her in the process, and messing them both up more, but neither seemed to care. Certainly not Alex.

He placed small kisses between her shoulder blades and heard her sigh. “Thank you,” he mumbled against her.

Dahlia tried to laugh. “I should be thanking you.”

Alex was going to apologize, but Dahlia didn’t seem to be bothered at all that he’d just used her, and quite roughly. “So, it was okay? I promise not to–” Alex started, but was interrupted by Dahlia turning over to face him.

“What is it?” Dahlia asked. She was smiling and completely sated.

Alex considered what to say. He sighed deeply and knew she wouldn’t judge him. “Sometimes I just get these urges to take. To use. To fuck and not worry about how rough I’m being. Sometimes I want to do it without any warning. This is the first time I got the urge to do it in the middle of doing other things. I'm just glad I was able to warn you.”

“You didn’t hurt me,” she comforted, holding him close. She laughed. “I passed a nine pounder outta there. Do your worst.”

This shocked a laugh out of him. He knew she was being deliberately obtuse. “I didn’t mean physically,” he said quietly.

“It’s part of your kink,” she said affectionately. “So, you’re saying that sometimes when we least expect it, I might find myself pushed against a wall being fucked roughly within an inch of my life?” She made no judgment with her body language.

He exhaled and nodded against her. “Sometimes your mouth,” he said against her neck. “Sometimes other places,” he whispered.

Dahlia was quiet for a moment, processing that last bit. She wasn’t going to stress about it now, though. “If it were the only kind of sex you wanted to have with me, then yes, that would hurt.”

He shook his head emphatically.

“Then it’s fine. When you told me to get on my knees earlier, it turned me on so much.” Dahlia hadn’t intended to admit it, but it was the truth. “I was too out of it for that last bit, so I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. I was about to apologize to you.”

Alex kissed her. His relief was profound. “You were really wet at the door. I wanted to drop to my knees right then. It was quite an effort to stop myself,” he said provocatively against her mouth.

Dahlia warmed. He always said things that made her want to run to the bathroom and giggle. Or climb on top of him and debase herself. “I want to be the victim of all your urges.”

He laughed lightly. “Sounds like you can't be much of a victim if you can't feel anything anyway. And here I was, all confident that I was big enough.”

Dahlia ineffectually pushed him away. “I imagine that you're quite big, seeing as how you look about fifteen.”

“I'd say that says more about you than it does about me,” joked Alex.

Dahlia smiled and kissed him slowly. “I'd say you're a perfect fit. I was actually a little sore this morning.”

“Oh good. My self-esteem is restored,” he said as he kissed her shoulder. “I could stay like this with you all night.”

Dahlia pouted. “But, I bought a dress!”

“Did you, now?” He asked, amused. “I guess I’ll have to take you out, then.”

“I’ll make it worth your while,” she reassured.

He looked at her dangerously. “You will.”

At that moment, Dahlia was tempted to skip dinner.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date!

**Chapter 7**

 

 

Alex and Dahlia lounged for an hour, comfortable with not-so-innocent touching and idle chit-chat. Dahlia wasn’t used to being touched like this, but Alex was very tactile, and apparently not just when he wanted sex. He would run his fingers down her arm, move the back of his hand against her nipples, and move his hand possessively around her neck. She wondered if he was aware he was doing it. She didn’t want to ask because she didn’t want him to try to make an effort to stop. She rather liked it.

It took her fifteen minutes to convince him to go home, shower, and change. Then another to get him dressed. She had to promise him many things to get him out the door. Luckily, she wanted to do all the things she promised him. Couldn't wait to do them.

As soon as he left, she ran for the shower, calculating how long it would take her to primp. She knew it wouldn’t take him long. She scrubbed, tidied, and shaved, and luckily she’d washed her hair the night before, so she’d just need to refresh it.

When she was out and dried, she swiped a nail polish from Callie’s room that matched her dress and quickly painted her nails. After those were dry, she applied dark eye make-up, a little face powder and blush, and a nude gloss. She dug around in the bottom of her closet to find a black clutch and put powder, gloss, her wallet, and her keys inside.

She pulled the bags of her new things out of the closet. She wrestled with the garter a bit and considered just wearing the stockings, but she was worried they’d slip down. Once she got it on and looked at herself, her confidence grew. She pulled out the tape and pressed it to the underside of each breast like she was instructed, then she smoothed out her dress and pulled it over her head. She pulled the boots on and practiced walking back and forth in her bedroom and stayed steady on her feet.

Dahlia walked to the mirror and arranged her hair a bit, making it a little more wild than usual because she knew Alex liked it. Once she was pleased with the results, she went to go get the silk scarf out of its box on her dresser. She walked back to the mirror. She wasn’t sure how she was going to wear it. She didn’t want to wear it negligently draped around her neck, so she decided to try to see if she could bind it around her neck like a choker. She crisscrossed it once, then twice, then tucked the ends into the sides. Oh, that would work nicely, she thought.

In the middle of her primping she heard the buzzer to her door go off. She assumed it was Alex, so she went to let him in. She had told him to text first, but as she looked around for her phone, she couldn’t find it. The last time she was on it was when she was at work, so she’d make a detour down there to pick it up.

She opened the door nervously. All the lights were off except the hall, but he’d still be able to see her because the curtains were open. He nearly dropped the flowers he brought her.

“I’m torn between not letting you out of here or taking you out and laughing smugly at all the men that look at you.” Alex placed the flowers on the bar and pulled her by the hips to him. “You are gorgeous,” he whispered, not caring that he was staring openly at her. It was a little too dark to see her blush, though.

He was dressed very nicely. A crisp white button-up shirt with the top undone, black slacks, and well, she thought they might be sneakers, but she really didn’t care. For all she knew about clothes, it might be fashionable to wear tennis shoes with dress pants.

She looked over at the flowers and swooned. They looked like cream colored roses, but as she escaped his grasp and turned on the kitchen light, she could see that they were the palest of pinks. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. “They remind me of the color I’d like your bottom to be tomorrow morning.”

Dahlia sucked in a breath and he turned her around. He brought his thumb to her protruding nipple. “Don’t act all innocent. You are clearly not wearing a bra with this.”

It was him that sucked in his breath now. “And you’re wearing the scarf around your neck. Oh, Dahlia.” He pressed his body against hers, so that she could feel his erection. She lowered her eyes in submission. “Put the flowers in water.”

She quickly walked to her cupboard and searched the bottom shelf for something that would work. She had a few shorter vases that she thought might be too shallow, but she found something toward the back that might do fine. She bent over slightly to reach it. Once she had it, she went to arrange the roses, and watered them.

She looked back at Alex and saw him leaning against the wall, slowly stroking his cock. “Come take care of me.”

Dahlia didn’t expect that sight when she’d turned around, but it was certainly a welcome one. She walked toward him, not breaking eye contact, and dropped to her knees. She hoped her stockings held up. She wouldn’t tease him.

She swallowed him to the root and quickly developed a steady rhythm. She heard his breathing speed up and felt his hand press the back of her head and felt his hips move. She stilled her movements as he erratically fucked her mouth. She could tell that he was trying to be gentle, but she wanted him to know that he could be a little rougher. She moved her tongue around in its limited space, but she made several sounds of pleasure causing him to snap his hips a few times. She pushed her face all the way to his groin and swallowed against the head of his cock. She wasn’t ready to deep throat, but no point in not practicing. His thrusts grew more erratic and she knew he was about to come. He pressed against her head and she took him in as far as she could go. He moaned and rocked gently and she felt his come thickly as it pulsed in her mouth. After she swallowed, she cleaned him up gently with her tongue and he pulled her up, eyes half closed.

“Christ. Look at your mouth,” he said in awe as he rubbed it with the tips of his fingers. He exhaled in resignation. He loved her. He knew he would tell her soon. “When you were looking for the vase, I caught sight of these.” He snapped her garter. “I bet you’re not wearing panties are you?”

“I can put some on if you’d like,” Dahlia said shyly.

“Not a chance. Let’s go. I need to feed you.”

“I thought that’s what you just did?” The innocent look on her face made him want to turn her over his knee.

He pushed her back against the door. “If you’re wet from sucking me, I’ll let that little impertinence pass. If not, then I’ll just have to add on to the punishment of you not wearing any underthings.” He slid his hand up her slightly spread legs and dipped his thumb in. She was quite aroused. He fingered her for a few short moments, then withdrew his hand, licking and sucking each finger.

He pressed his thumb in her mouth. “Suck,” he commanded. And she did. He saw that for the mistake it was and he was sidetracked for a few minutes longer. “Go clean yourself up. You have two minutes.” He kissed her and smacked her bottom.

She was out in less than two and she grabbed her clutch and pulled her keys out. She locked up and they walked down to the elevator. When the elevator dinged, it opened to reveal Nick with his dinner, and Dahlia’s phone. “Oh good, I’ve caught you. You left your phone–” Nick looked at her as he handed her phone over. “Oh my God. What are you–Are you going out like that? Wait. Are y’all going to that club?” Nick was staring at her breasts and laughter bubbled out of her. Alex looked between the two. Their relationship was still a little confusing to him, but he could honestly say that Dahlia wanted him and no one else.

“We’re going out to dinner. I bought sexy clothes,” Dahlia stated simply.

Nick was still staring at her breasts. “Well, carry on then, kids.” He held the elevator open for them. He looked at Alex and said seriously, “Don’t let her out of your sight tonight.” Alex nodded once and pulled Dahlia to him while she looked on, confused. “Text me as soon as you’re back.” Nick looked at Dahlia with his still serious expression.

“Sure,” she agreed.

When the doors closed she looked up at Alex. “What the fuck was that all about?”

He looked down at her and stroked his hand down her back. “You told me he was a good friend, right? Your best one?” Alex asked to see if she understood.

She nodded.

He waited a few more seconds. “He was being your friend.”

Dahlia was quiet for a moment. “Oh.”

“You really don’t see your relationship as any different from the last decade,” he elaborated, holding his hand up when he saw that she was going to argue. “I know that you aren’t in love with him. I add another dynamic to your relationship. We all have to adjust to it. And we’re doing quite well.”

She was quiet again, but nodded.

“You really are stunning tonight. Even Mr. Oblivious knows it. He knows that if he noticed, everyone will. He wants me to keep you safe.”

The elevator opened.

Dahlia looked distressed as they walked out. “Should I change? I only wanted to look beautiful for you. I wanted to please you.”

He did his best to reassure her. He shook his head. “I know. I’m pleased very very much. I’m going to enjoy watching you tonight. I’m going to enjoy watching others covet you.” He pulled her close and kissed her slowly.

Dahlia relaxed as he kissed her. She wondered briefly if she was in way over her head.

Alex opened and closed the door to his car for her. She noticed that her dress rode up quite high, but she didn’t bother smoothing it down. She buckled her seat belt and crossed her legs.

They didn’t speak as he drove the mile down to the restaurant. The car had a stick shift so she couldn’t hold his hand since it was stop and go all the way there.

When they got to the restaurant, he turned off the car and turned to face her. He bent down to kiss her and she met him halfway. He put his hand on her inner thigh, but he only stroked the skin softly with his thumb. “You hungry?” Alex asked when he pulled away.

She nodded. He brushed the back of his hand over her nipple and smiled. He jumped out of the car and ran to open her door. She looked around to make sure they were secluded and stepped one foot out, intentionally giving him the view under her dress. He pulled her up and smacked her bottom again, but pulled her close to him while they walked.

When they walked into the restaurant, she was relieved to find it quite dark. Then she realized that she’d be sitting in a booth with Alex. She thought that maybe she should have worn normal hose instead of these because there was no way she was going to get out of here unmolested. She’d given him explicit permission when she put on the scarf and it was way too early in the evening to be using the safe word.

It was a rustic looking place and they weren’t very busy at this hour on a weeknight. Dahlia was relieved at that. She did get some looks from the bar, but she walked confidently, and luckily Alex asked the hostess for a secluded booth that was facing away from the bar. He slid in beside her on the same side. He reached under the table and grabbed her thigh, hooking it over his. He rested his hand on her inner thigh while he looked down at the menu, innocently.

They ordered the recommended cocktails for the evening, the soup special, and Alex ordered steak, while Dahlia ordered their famous macaroni and cheese. They talked about the bread pudding for dessert, but Dahlia said they would probably be too full, but wanted to take a couple orders home and one for Nick.

They talked about work while Alex moved his hand up and down her thigh. Dahlia got a short reprieve when their soup came. She decided to start asking questions she might had inquired about had this been a normal date. Normal as she’d be wearing her underthings and not tempted to spread her legs.

“What’s your favorite color?” Dahlia asked, imitating a child’s curiosity.

Alex gave her an odd look. “Uh, black, I guess.”

“Movie?” She inquired.

He thought for a moment. “Probably _Blade Runner_.”

“Book?”

“ _Dune_ , maybe. I love _Discworld_. Anything by Pratchett, really. And Douglas Adams.” He looked over at her. “What about you?”

“There’s no way I can pick a favorite. I like all the ones you mention. I love Jasper Fforde. Neil Gaiman. I also like historical fiction.”

“What’s your favorite television show?” He asked, indulging her.

“I don’t really watch much T.V. I’ll watch reruns of old stuff like _The Golden Girls_ and _Married with Children._ ” Dahlia could tell he wasn’t terribly interested with his mischievous smirk and his fingers trailing higher. “My daughter is coming home in almost two weeks. I’m not going to be able to invite you over after that, am I?”

His smile widened. “I’ll be on my very best behavior when Callie comes home. Do you have a fire escape I can climb up?”

She laughed. “I imagine after a while she’ll tell me that it’s okay for you to sleep over. Especially if you buy her something shiny.”

Alex continued his stroking. Incidentally, he had the perfect thing. He had access to some pretty cool gadgets in his line of work. “So, you plan on keeping me around for a while, then?”

Dahlia sobered and he stopped his fingers. She nodded.

“You don’t have to look so sad about it,” he said jokingly, but she could tell he was a little confused.

She looked up at him. “It would break my heart if you left me. Already. How ridiculous is that?”

Before she knew what happened, he had leaned over and kissed her. He ran his fingers through her hair with one hand and squeezed her thigh with the other. They kissed until they heard the waiter clear his throat. Dahlia was horribly embarrassed, but Alex thanked him for bringing their food, with a surprisingly straight face. When he walked away, Alex stole another kiss and grabbed her hand and held it to his chest for a moment, but he didn’t look at her. He then brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed her palm and finally looked at her and smiled. “Eat,” he instructed.

She turned around and picked up her fork, but turned her head and watched him eat. He looked pleased.

Alex was deeply affected by Dahlia’s admission. He was glad that even though they were moving quickly, they seemed to be going at the same pace. He did worry about not getting to see her like this when Callie was home. He wanted very much for Callie to like him. He knew that he and Dahlia would have to slow things down and while he wasn’t necessarily looking forward to that, he knew that being a part of her family would be more satisfying in the long run.

They ate in silence except for talking about the food and offering tastes, and that turned out way more erotic than it had to be. The food was delicious and they vowed to come here often as it was their proper first date, which amused the both of them. When the waiter came, Alex ordered three bread puddings to go as the plates were cleared from their table.

He turned to Dahlia and played with a stray curl by her ear. “Will you let me take you and Callie out when she gets back? Nick can come, too.”

“Only if you invite Miranda,” Dahlia agreed. “I’d like it to be just Callie and me sometime, too.”

“And just you sometime, too?” Alex asked.

Dahlia nodded.

The waiter brought the bill and the dessert and brought Alex’s card back promptly after he had paid. They walked back to what Dahlia could see was a Golf, now that she was paying attention. She knew it was a Volkswagen when she got into it earlier, but hadn’t thought beyond that.

Alex put the food on the hood of the car and turned Dahlia around to face him. She tilted her head upwards for his kiss, but instead she got his mouth against her ear. “Do you remember what I told you earlier on the sofa about what I needed sometimes?”

Dahlia nodded. “You mean the thing that’s supposed to only come occasionally, but you’ve felt it twice so far today?” She pressed against him. “Or is it three times, this rare thing?”

Alex kissed her on the mouth, and pulled her thigh up to his hip, dipping his fingers into her. She pulled at his belt. They heard laughter and Dahlia immediately put her leg down and groaned. Alex held her hips tightly and breathed harshly against her neck.

“Can you make it home? Do you need me to drive?” She waited a few moments for him to answer.

“I’m sorry,” he said, voice uneven. “I might have to have my meds adjusted.”

“And here I thought you just couldn’t get enough of me,” she joked.

“I can’t,” he said seriously. “I’ve never had it anything close to this bad.”

Dahlia was a little worried. “Should I be enabling you the way I am?”

“It’s not like drugs or alcohol,” he reassured. “I have a very compulsive personality. The Ritalin helps with that. I was on several things when I was younger, though. My feelings for you are the strongest I’ve ever felt.” He was still trembling just slightly. “It’s not just the sex. It’s everything to do with you.” His lips met hers again and he kissed her breathless.

“So, is it okay if I still say naughty things to you?” She asked tracing his erection through his pants.

“Oh, definitely,” he breathed.

“Can you make it back? I want to be fucked in the alley by my house. I want to be spread out on the hood of your car while you eat me. Take me home,” Dahlia said. “Besides you need to calm down a bit if you’re going to be taking a flogger to me later. Right?”

“Absolutely. You’re right. Christ, Dahlia.” He managed to get the door open and closed for her, he grabbed the food and made his way to his side. He put the food in the back and realized that he couldn’t sit, so he opened his pants and sat there with his cock out while he started the car. Before he reversed, Dahlia bent over and sucked him just a bit and he leaned back, heavily. He pulled her dress over her ass and squeezed it roughly before plunging his fingers inside her.

“You are incredible. Anyone could walk past here and see your pussy opened up. They can see me rubbing your wetness all over your lips and your ass.” He spread her wetness up to her hole and she moaned with a mouthful of his cock. “If you want to be fucked on the hood of my car, you’d better stop.” He felt his orgasm coming and he lifted her by her hair. Her mouth. Jesus. “Buckle up.”

He wouldn’t look at her as he sped them home. As soon as he was in the gate, he turned the car off and got out. His cock was still hard and hanging half out of his underwear. He walked quickly to her side and pulled her out and walked her to the hood of his car. He lifted her easily and pushed her back to her elbows. He spread her thighs and licked at her roughly, fucking her pussy with his tongue and teasing her clitoris with his thumb. Just when she was about to come on his face, he pulled his face up and grabbed her hips and impaled her with his cock. It was brutal. He yanked on her hips on each upward stroke and she couldn’t wait to see the bruises the next day.

Alex was vocalizing on each thrust and she was mesmerized by his loss of control. She did this to him. “Are you going to come?” He stuttered out. She nodded. She lifted up her dress, exposing her breasts, making him fuck her impossibly harder, and she finished the job he started. After a few long seconds of touching herself, she tightened around him, and he let out an agonizing moan as he emptied inside her.

He half fell on her and let out an incredulous laugh. “I just fucked you on my car. God.”

Dahlia smiled and thought about her poor dress, hoping that it wasn’t in too bad shape.

“Ready to go up?” Alex asked helping her off of the car. She marveled at how relaxed he was now. He tucked himself back into his pants as she smoothed her dress down.

She nodded and adjusted the scarf and he realized he needed to give her some instructions.

“When we go up, you have exactly five minutes to be naked, except for these.” He snapped the garter. “I want you blindfolded and on your hands and knees.”

She lowered her eyes and he knew that she would be obedient.

Dahlia remembered to text Nick at the last minute and she let him know that she was home and undefiled, well mostly, but she told him to get decent, so they could bring dessert. She’d had to remind Alex to take it out of the car.

Alex barely behaved himself up the elevator, but she was getting used to it. Once they got to Nick’s door, he opened it widely, dramatically showing off Christmas boxer shorts. Dahlia and Alex stared, horrified.

“Nice,” said Alex, handing him over his dessert.

“You didn’t do your laundry, did you? Wait, I asked you if you needed anything washed when I did a load the other day,” Dahlia nagged.

Nick was peering into the container, so he hadn’t paid attention to what Dahlia was saying. “Mmmmm...what?” He looked up at her.

“Not a thing, dear,” Dahlia said, shaking her head incredulously. “Enjoy your food.”

“Thanks,” he said smiling at them both, waving, eying the dessert in a way that Alex looked at her, and shutting the door.

“He’s about to go have sex with that pudding, isn’t he?” Alex chuckled.

Dahlia contemplated that. “That would explain a lot. I’m a shit cook. And he didn’t stare at my breasts once.” She might have pouted.

Alex wrapped his arms around her while she unlocked the door. “I’ll make sure to stare at them plenty. And I’ll probably do other things to them, and–”

They tumbled into the room, with Alex barely keeping them upright. They kissed and touched for long moments before he slowly unwrapped the scarf from her neck, and draped it over her shoulder. “You have five minutes, Dahlia. Go.” He stepped back and Dahlia thought he looked a little manic. “Don’t forget your safe word.”

Dahlia walked quickly to her room without looking back. She was trembling slightly. From fear or nerves, or a combination of both. She wished she were still aroused because she knew it would be easier. She didn’t have long, so she went to her bathroom and cleaned up. She wiped her eye make-up off and left the bathroom. She turned the lamp on and stripped. She left the garters and stockings on and crawled into the bed. She tied the silk securely around her eyes. She knelt down onto her forearms and waited until she could hear his footsteps. She would raise up to her hands, then.

Alex was completely on edge. He didn’t know how a woman could make him lose all control. She was absolute perfection last night, so much so that her ex showing up only rankled for a moment. When she’d misspoke to him at her desk, his half hard cock that he seemed to sport since she’d come into his life, became instantly erect. Then when she went to her knees on his command–God, he was going to torture her. He wouldn’t even let himself think about the sofa earlier. The dress and her increased confidence as she wore it–he was done for. And the blow jobs, and the car, he thought. She was sex personified. He shook his head and stood up to take off his clothes.

Fortunately, the fuck on his car helped him keep a clear head for what he was about to do. He walked down the hall and he opened the door. What he saw took his breath away. She was gifting her submission to him and it was the most humbling thing he’d ever experienced. He leaned on the door frame and stared at her for long moments. She was trembling ever so slightly and he pushed himself forward and remembered the flogger. He walked back out into the living area and found his backpack. He opened it and pulled it out. It was beautiful. Intricate leather braiding on the handle and numerous strands of rich brown leather. It was the milder of his two floggers. The other had many knotted strands of leather and he knew they’d need to build up to that. This would provide a sting, but not one that would scare a beginner.

And at that moment he was glad that he’d never wanted to use it on anyone else. It would only touch Dahlia. He held it reverently and walked back into the room and shut the door.

The sight of her still brought him up short. He saw that she was shaking a little more, so he walked forward and placed his hand against her cheek. She pressed against him, then pulled back, unsure if that okay. “When I touch you, I want you to do what comes naturally unless I tell you otherwise.” She nuzzled his palm like a cat, her trembling subsiding.

He spoke softly and lovingly. “I want you to go down onto your forearms. You’ll be more comfortable.” He stroked her head as she went down and ran his hand down her spine toward her bottom. He wondered briefly how he wanted to do things, but then remembered that he’d already told her what was going to happen. “Do you remember what I said we were going to do?” Alex asked and waited five seconds.

“If I ask you a question, I want an answer without delay. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” she said, voice surprisingly calm.

“Do you remember what I said we were going to do?” Alex asked again, calmly.

“Yes,” Dahlia replied quickly.

“What did I say?” Alex began to trail his fingers very softly over her bottom and hips, teasing her with the light strokes.

“That if I could take a lot,” her voice trembled slightly, “you would let me suck you, and if I could make you come with just my mouth and make you hard again, you would let me come. On your tongue,” Dahlia finished in a rush.

“Very good. Do you think that’s a good plan?” He was trying not to be distracted by her pussy, but it was so visible in this position, so he began to trace her with the handle of the flogger, dipping in her just slightly.

“Yes,” she said breathlessly.

“How much do you think you can take?” He pushed the handle in further. She wasn’t as wet as she usually was, but Alex figured that since she cleaned herself up, he’d have to start over. He was looking forward to it.

“Whatever pleases you.” She was surprised she got that out. He was fucking her a little more steady now.

He pulled the handle out abruptly, and brought the leather strands across her bottom quickly and harsher than he intended. She gasped loudly and arched her back. Pink bloomed rapidly on her skin. He did it again a few more times, a little bit slower and gentler, then twice again in rapid succession, just as hard as the first time. She reacted the same as the first one, but a bit of a vocalization on the last one. He didn't want to make her count because he preferred to go by the look of her backside. He thought that would be a more reliable indicator of when to stop unless a safe word was used. Dahlia’s bottom was pink, but there were no visible streaks, so he continued with the pattern of a few lighter ones and two hard ones.

She was vocalizing more and squirming a good amount. He carried on for several long moments before doing five decreasingly gentler ones, then ten increasingly harder ones. She had begun to beg and cry halfway through the hard ones, but never said the safe word. Then he dropped the flogger to the floor and immediately went to her, to comfort and to praise.

She had soaked the silk with her tears, and he was momentarily worried that she’d want him to leave, but when he climbed on the bed and his thigh brushed the side of her face, she sought it, rubbing against it. He was visibly relieved. “That was amazing, darling. I am so pleased. You did so well.” Alex murmured to her softly. He was bursting with pride and near tears himself. He felt free for the first time in his whole life.

Alex had given Dahlia all that she'd needed. The relief and catharsis she felt was her version of bliss. She lifted up her head and crawled up a bit until she was able to put her mouth over his cock. It was an awkward position because he was only sitting halfway on the bed, but she had remembered, and that brought even more relief to him, physically and emotionally. “Oh, very very pleased. Hold on, darling.” She pulled away and he climbed to the center of the bed and leaned back, spreading his legs, and guiding her forward. She put her mouth on him and sucked him to the root. He moaned encouragingly. She experimented with depth and speed and he marveled that she was so good at this already. He thrust a few times to hear her moan in pleasure. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was so eager to please. He finally gave into the desire to run his fingers through her hair and when he had both hands threaded in there, she moaned and started sucking him faster. As much as he was enjoying it, just her sheer enthusiasm made him not want to hold back anymore, though one day soon, he was going to let her suck him until her lips were raw. The thought of it made him grab her hair to serve as a warning of his eminent orgasm and to still her, so he could fuck her mouth as a little payback from earlier in the car. He thrust just a few times in her mouth until he pulled back just slightly– “Open your mouth,” he said suddenly and she complied. He stroked himself and watched his come fall on her tongue. It was gorgeous.

He pulled her up to her knees and held her against him and he kissed her. Her heavy breasts were pressed against him and had it not been for the reminder that he’d get to explore them later, he might have been more distracted. They had distracted him all evening.

He hoped that kisses could convey emotions because he had so many and wanted to tell her, but he was reluctant. He didn’t think she’d reject him, so he didn’t know why he hesitated. She’d trusted him implicitly tonight and it meant the world to him. It warmed him from the inside out, and he was pretty sure all the words he wanted to say would come.

As it was, he was barely holding some in. He took a deep gasping breath. “You are everything that I’ve always wished for,” he said pressing his mouth against her face. “I hope that I can be what you need. Always.”

A high-pitched sound came from the back of Dahlia’s throat and he kissed her mouth again, increasing the pressure. He grazed her bottom with his hand and felt the heat coming from her. She made a small pained noise. “I’ll kiss it better soon, my–darling.” He caught himself. He would tell her soon enough. “Make me hard again, Dahlia. With your mouth.”

She immediately assumed her previous position and used her tongue to find his half-erect cock. Within seconds, her mouth was full, and he knew that if he didn’t pull out now, he would stay there all night. He got another jolt of arousal when he realized that she’d let him, too. She would suck him happily.

He pulled her off reluctantly, but remembered that he was going to see her naked body spread out before him and that he would get to taste her again.

He turned her over and she hissed in pain, but he kissed her inner thigh to soothe her. He sat up and just looked his fill, cupping her breasts because he couldn’t resist. Her breasts were–no words could describe them, he thought. She was pale and they were heavy against his hands as he held them. Dahlia sucked in a breath as he pushed against her and laved every bit of them. He sucked gently at each pink nipple and ran his tongue under each breast, sucking flesh into his mouth whenever he felt like it. These were breasts that you just didn’t see anymore and they looked like they were right out of a voluptuous Renaissance painting. They were breathtaking.

He kissed his way down her stomach, stopping at her navel. He sucked at the skin there, leaving delightful little red marks. He heard Dahlia’s heavy breathing and looked up at her, eyes still covered and hands clinched at her sides. Alex knew that Dahlia would still be thinking like a submissive as long as her eyes were covered and at that moment, he wanted her to be equally involved.

He pushed himself up and covered her body again and while he kissed her, he smoothed the silk over her head. She blinked and cringed at the light, but he kissed her tear-stained red eyes, and she let out an indulgent sigh. She wrapped her arms around him and found his mouth and raised her legs around his hips.

He groaned. “You’re distracting me from my goal.”

“Sorry,” she said insincerely, kissing him a bit more fiercely, and running her hands down his back. “What was that goal again?”

He knew that she didn’t care what his goal was, but that she wanted him to talk to her. He was learning that about her quickly, even though she’d said so before. There was nothing like watching her arousal unfold before him. “I’m gonna bury my face between your legs and you’re going to make a mess of me.” He started to make his way down, kissing what he could reach.

Dahlia moaned when he reached her pussy. He settled down between then, her reddened bottom resting against his shoulders, and his hands skimming her hips. He licked her slowly, ignoring her clitoris for now.

He sucked lightly on each lip and spread the evidence of her arousal every square inch he could reach. He fucked her lightly with his tongue for a while until her hips began to move and he felt her hands touch the top of him head. He pushed his tongue as deep as it could go and his nose bumped her clitoris. She jerked, dislodging him from his place.

He chided her gently. “If you want to come on my face, you have to be still.”

She nodded rapidly, but he went back to his teasing exploration. His tongue dipped down to her perineum and he remembered from earlier in the day that she never commented when he was talking about his loss of control and where he might want to fuck her. She’d also let him touch her there in the car. No woman had ever let him push his cock inside or even a finger, and while he didn’t want to scare Dahlia away, he thought he could probably get away with a little action.

He brought his hand from around her thigh and pushed it flat on the bed, allowing him to press his thumb to her, while he ran his tongue up and down her perineum, dipping down periodically. Dahlia went very still, so Alex knew that she was waiting and curious.

He moved his other hand and pressed that thigh upward, forcing her bottom to tilt higher. He dipped his tongue down and licked her with strong strokes making sure that his thumb wasn’t idle on her clitoris.

After a minute of him exploring her, Dahlia wantonly lifted both knees closer to her chest and it took all Alex’s strength not to take that as a complete invitation. She was trusting him right now so completely with her body that it overwhelmed him just a little. “Touch yourself. Make yourself come.”

He spread her thighs apart, placing wet kisses along where her bottom met her thigh and looked at her. Dahlia was becoming less surprised at her own behavior. She wouldn’t come right out and tell Alex that he had free rein to do whatever he pleased or at least he wouldn’t have to try very hard to persuade her. Persuading could be half the fun, she thought. Another thing she was starting to not just realize, but know without a doubt, was that this man wanted her, and in an almost painful way.

She moved her hand down her body and watched Alex watch her. When she touched herself, she never made an ordeal about it. She usually just got it over and done with. But, she would make an effort for him. She brought her hand to her breast and she felt rather than saw Alex still his movements. She used both hands to touch her nipples and she watched his eyes follow her movements. Then his eyes landed back on hers. He was going to do something cruel, she could see it, but she didn’t know what. She would find out very quickly.

Alex barely touched her with his tongue along her perineum and below. Just a barely there tortuous movement that had Dahlia writhing on the bed. She thought correctly that as soon as she began masturbating, he would cease all teasing. As soon as her fingers began to move rapidly over her already swollen clitoris, Alex spread her wide and fucked her hole with his tongue. He tilted his face to the side so that he could fit his fingers in her pussy.

It didn’t take Dahlia long. Very quickly he felt her squeezing his fingers and he started to slowly lick her hole and perineum in long slow stripes. He kissed her once on each thigh and got up on his knees. He wiped his arm across his wrecked face and waited for her to open her eyes. “You are an absolute fucking feast.”

She took one look at him panting and so so aroused that she acted on instinct. She rolled over in one smooth movement, though her bottom was still fucking sore, and she crawled up higher onto the bed and looked over her shoulder at him. She knew that this might be seen as an invitation for more naughty sex, but he was turning her into a naughty girl.

He jerked forward taking her hips in hand and God, he didn’t know it was possible to get even more turned on than he was. He pushed inside her with one smooth movement and fucked her at a steady pace. He was rubbing at the marks on her bottom very fondly and he suddenly felt the urge to feel her against him. He lowered himself to sit on his feet, forcing her upwards against her headboard until she was half upright on her knees holding on to the top of it tightly. She had quite a bit of control in this position and he had free use of his hands. He kissed her shoulders and neck with one hand around her waist and the other palmed her breast. “You were going to let me weren’t you?”

Dahlia didn’t answer right away and he didn’t know if she was playing dumb. She turned her face toward his and they kissed. “It looks like you’re doing whatever you want.”

He laughed lowly. “You were nearly begging me, Dahlia.”

She gave him a demure look that made him want dangerous things. “I don’t know what you mean.”

He laughed again. “My mistake.” He pulled out of her to her great distress. “I want you on top.” She was momentarily confused, but he had her fixed on top of him very quickly. He raised his knees up causing her to fall on top of him. He gripped her back and kissed her. He moved his face to the side and brought a finger up to her mouth and she tentatively sucked it into her mouth. He groaned as she learned quickly that he really enjoyed it, but it was interfering with his plans. He slowly moved it in and out and whispered to her. “Beg me with your mouth, Dahlia.” He removed the finger from her mouth and skated his hand down her back and sore bottom and teased at her hole. She was still so soaked that her sucking his finger was only a symbolic gesture. To Alex’s surprise, she pushed back against the finger. “Beg me, Dahlia,” he said roughly. He breached her, but only just. She gave a sound of acquiescence. “Push it in, Alex. Fuck me. I want it hard and fast and then–” She took a deep breath. “And then after you’ve stretched me, I’m going to want your cock to tear me open. I want you to fuck me and fill me.”

“Oh fuck. Oh fuck.” Alex had lost control of the situation again. He knew he needed to be in control for anal sex, so he would just do the best he could with what control he had. He flipped her over and fucked her earnestly, and he worked his finger in her hole slowly, but thoroughly. By the time he felt her come, his finger was in to the second knuckle. She was impossibly tight and he imagined many days of teasing her and getting her ready since she wanted it so much.

“God, and I’m going to fuck you, Dahlia. So much. I’m going to fuck your mouth, your pussy, your ass. fuck, Dahlia.” Alex pushed his finger a little further inside her. “What you do to me–” he whispered helplessly.

He slowed his pace. “Is my finger enough for now, or do you think you could take my cock?” He stretched the rim out a bit and her eyes grew wide. He chuckled and bent down to kiss her. “Don’t worry, my love. I’ve got to practice stretching you with my tongue and fingers before you’ll be ready. Your ass is mine. No one has ever had it and I’ve got to make sure that I court it properly.”

Dahlia wasn’t going to bring up what he’d just called her, but it still warmed her just the same. “Have you ever?”

“No. My ex–” he shook his head. “You are by far the naughtiest, filthiest, freakiest girl I’ve ever been with and from what I can tell, you aren’t crazy. It’s a conundrum to be honest, and I’m wondering about poor Nick. Maybe he’s just a normal guy who wants normal sex with a normal girl. And you scared him off when you begged him to finger your ass while he pissed on you. Poor guy. He probably cried in the bathroom a lot.”

Dahlia found it hard to properly laugh when he was still fucking her. In two places, she thought, dizzily. “Well, apparently I’m slacking because you’re inside me holding a conversation.” She lowered her voice. “Why don’t you piss on me?”

Alex doubled over laughing and slipped out in the process. It was a shock to the system to be so empty all at once.

“Sorry.” He smiled and went to push into her again, but she stopped him. She sat up a bit and kissed him slowly, but thoroughly. He didn’t know what she was up to, but he was going with it.

She pulled away and whispered to him. “Do you like my tits, Alex?” She stroked over them slowly with one hand.

“Yes. Very much.”

“What do you like about them?” She asked as she dipped her fingers down into her wetness, and then rubbed the moisture into her nipples.

He was captivated. He felt like he should be leaving money on her dresser. A lot of it. “They’re big and gorgeous. They’re connected to you.”

She fell back slowly pulling a few pillows behind her so she would be at an incline. “What would you like to do to them?”

“I want to taste your nipples,” he said in a rush.

“Of course.” She nodded. “What would you like to do to my tits after that, do you think?”

He grasped his cock and exhaled harshly. “I’m going to come all over them.”

He crawled over to her and sucked her arousal off of each nipple and then surrounded her hips with his knees. And wasn’t that a sight, he thought. He pushed into his hand rapidly and she hummed in pleasure. In no time, he was painting her breasts and neck with long bursts of come. He couldn’t take his eyes off of it.

“Proud of yourself, aren’t you?” She looked down at the mess.

He nodded and rolled onto his side, eyes half closed. She poked him.

“I’ve let you go without a shower, but your hand is covered. It didn’t all land on me. Go wash them.”

He was in and out of the bathroom within seconds and Dahlia heard the water run just briefly. She feigned disgust, but he grabbed her and kissed her. He was unsteady on his feet and she helped him to bed. She cleaned herself up quickly and crawled in beside him. She sighed in contentment when he spooned up behind her. She arranged the blankets over them and snuggled deeper in his embrace. She was positive that she wouldn’t want to leave his bed the whole weekend and her mind wandered over all the devious things they would do. The flogging had been a mixture of pain, pleasure, and absolute need. She didn’t understand why she needed it, but she’d read books and articles, and while nothing completely convinced her that it was healthy, she read nothing that dissuaded her. She was slightly freaked out by her intense curiosity of Alex’s collection. She assumed he had one. She was also a little freaked out by how much she enjoyed her ass played with. When she wasn’t aroused, it seemed like such an alien concept, but when he was in the vicinity, talking about all the things he wanted, she craved it. Would have begged. Did beg. She was just pleased that he was more cautious. But she didn’t think he’d be cautious for long.

“I won’t break your heart,” he whispered into her hair.

Dahlia didn't close her eyes for a long time.

 


	8. 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going to Dishabille

**Chapter 8**

 

The next morning when Dahlia turned over in bed, she heard a groan from Alex, but it didn’t sound like an entirely pleasant one. She had to pee quite badly, but as she tried to roll out of bed, she grimaced. It felt like she’d been hit by a truck. Every muscle in her body ached, not to mention a slightly sore bottom. Even wiping herself was painful and she tried to mentally calculate how many times they’d had sex the past two days. It wasn’t an easy exercise.

She shuffled back to bed and curled back up against Alex. He groaned again. “Are you alright?” Dahlia asked tiredly.

His answer was completely incomprehensible, but she got the gist. He sounded sore and worn out, too. She briefly thought that they’d come down with some sort of flu, but she didn’t feel sick, just bone tired. Alex must be feeling the same way.

Just when she’d nearly fallen back to sleep, the alarm went off on Alex’s phone, startling them both unpleasantly. It took him a few long seconds to get it off, but when he did, he stretched and groaned again. “I feel like I’m going to die. Did we do something crazy last night?”

Dahlia laughed quietly. “Define crazy.”

Alex stretched and gave a little laugh. “I guess maybe the week has caught up with us. I had such plans for tonight.” He sighed dramatically.

Dahlia felt stirrings of interest, but only enough just to tease him. “I guess I’ll stay home tonight. I mean, really. Why else would I need to come over?”

Alex turned toward her and nuzzled her breast. “I shall try to manage. I wouldn’t want to leave you wanting.” He raised up and kissed her fully.

She sighed indulgently. “I might let you off the hook.”

“It’s too late now,” he said and sat up. He hissed uncomfortably. 

“Come shower with me. It will make you feel better.” Dahlia suggested. “I won’t make you use soap.”

Alex laughed delightedly. “I imagine that while I’m washing you, that I’d get inevitably clean.”

Dahlia got up slowly and walked toward the bathroom. She turned around briefly to tempt him. “Maybe I’ll forgo the soap as well.” She walked in the bathroom and started the shower, but not before she heard his laugh again.

It was a hot and languid shower. Both were aroused, but quite content in stroking and massaging each other as the water fell on them both. Without prompting, Alex washed Dahlia’s hair, and even conditioned it when she’d reached for the bottle. He washed every square inch of her, much to her embarrassment, but he looked at her with heated eyes as his hands ran over her. He couldn’t keep his eyes and hands off of her bottom. It was the perfect shade of pink.

“I’ve got quite a problem.” Alex pulled her bottom against his cock and touched her everywhere he could reach.

Dahlia was half listening as the pleasure he was giving her was quite sublime. “Hmm?”

“I want to come. I’m quite happy doing that right here.” He reached down and began to steadily stroke her clitoris. “But, I’m quite sure I’ll fall and sustain a massive head injury.”

Anytime he had her quite mindless, she always felt compelled to do something that she probably wouldn’t have thought of had she been of sound mind. She pulled away from him and turned off the water. She stepped out with Alex looking completely confused and ran to her bed soaking wet. Once he peaked his head out, he quite understood.

It was freezing when he stepped out, but he knew that in a few short seconds he’d be sinking into the hottest place in his existence. He pounced on her quite ungracefully, but her body accepted his so easily that it marveled him. It took a few long seconds of giggling and fumbling, but once Alex planted his knees, he was able to push into her consistently. He licked the water off her neck and collarbone, and moved down to her breasts. Her nipples had responded to the chill of getting out of the bath, and Alex gladly warmed them with his tongue.

Their bodies were slowly drying and Alex was able to move more freely. He knew that this was only supposed to be a quick fuck, but he found himself getting distracted by the water droplets on her skin and he tried to chase each one within his reach with his tongue.

“Now you’re going to have to go all day with me inside you. My come wetting your panties all day long,” he whispered to her in his dirtiest voice.

She moaned and thrust her hips toward him. He laughed darkly. “I think I’ll fuck you every morning after your shower.”

Alex made her feel insatiable. When he was inside her and telling her such filthy things, it made her want even more. It made her brave. “Are you going to be dirty enough? With me just on your cock?”

“Where else would I want you?” He asked breathless and curious. 

“I want you to wear me like perfume. I want to smell it on you later today. I want to kiss your mouth and remember.” Dahlia didn’t know where this person came from, but Alex triggered it. 

“Christ,” Alex hissed out and moved down the bed, burying his face in her very wet pussy. He licked and sucked at her with no rhyme or reason and the intensity caused her to cry out in an unexpected wave of pleasure. He helped her ride out her orgasm with steady licks to her clitoris.

Once he knew she was finished, he raised up steadily, dripping with her, and he rubbed his chin on his wrists. Staring at her like sex personified, he took his soaking wrists and ran them over each side of his neck. He licked his lips and climbed back up her now dry body. It was time to fill her up. And he did. Within the minute, he pushed his cock in as far as it could go, and made her take it. He momentarily felt like he was an animal claiming his property for how strongly he’d wanted her to have his come inside her. He knew that it wasn’t logical because he knew that no man would know it. He felt strongly that she’d never let any other man inside her again.

He rolled off of her breathing heavily, and letting out an incredulous laugh. “I was pretty sure when I woke this morning that we’d be taking it easy today.” He moved his head to look at her. “I’m quite addicted to you.”

Dahlia thought maybe ‘I love you’ was overrated. “Yeah. Addiction about covers it,” she told him with a lazy smile.

 

Nick texted Dahlia to tell her that he’d bring bagels if she’d make a pot of coffee. They all shared a leisurely breakfast and discussed their business for the day. Alex’s afternoon was fairly booked, but Nick and Dahlia were finished for the week, so they’d just be taking new clients and doing some organizing.

“Are you staying with Alex for the whole weekend?” Nick asked.

Dahlia nodded. “Starting tonight.”

Nick looked like he’d wanted to say something else, but didn’t. Alex was curious, but he felt a bit of dread at Nick’s expression.

Dahlia apparently didn’t have any reservations. “What?” Her expression wasn’t forgiving.

Nick sighed. “I’m thinking I might go see my parents this weekend.”

Dahlia sucked in a breath and Alex looked back and forth between the two. “Why?” She sounded betrayed. Her expression cleared. “Is one of them on their deathbed?”

Nick reached down and grabbed his bag. He pulled out a large envelope and handed it to her. Dahlia opened it up and found a handwritten letter from his mother saying that they would give Nick $250,000 to buy Dahlia out. The other papers were formal drafts from his parent’s attorney.

Dahlia shouldn’t have felt surprised. They hated her. They never thought she was good enough for their son. It didn’t matter that her son also participated in getting her pregnant. When he told them about the divorce, they were really cruel. It only took two trips with Callie before he cut all ties. They had told Callie that since Nick was successful, Dahlia was going to try to get half and take off. That Dahlia was only interested in a man to take care of her, since she had been a stay-at-home mom for much of Callie’s younger years. When Callie started elementary school, Dahlia was able to start college and get her degree. She and Nick busted their asses, but they both had a dream for their business and bought the building when the real estate market was shit, but Austin was cleaning up the east side anyway. It happened to be a successful gamble on their part. The east side was growing.

“I’m going to tell them to back the fuck off. I’m not going to tell them what we’re really worth because they’d probably shit and it’s really none of their business,” Nick explained.

“Why go at all? You could call or send a certified letter,” she asked, not really wanting Nick to have to deal with his toxic parents. “Besides, I’m pretty sure they have some idea of what we’re worth. They’re just hoping I don’t.” 

“You’re probably right. I’m so used to them being stupid, but I’m sure the attorney did some looking.” Nick sighed. “I hadn’t heard from them in over a year, but then I get this first thing. I just want them to know that I’m serious.”

They were both quiet for a bit when Alex broke the silence. “I don’t really understand what’s going on but what about a Restraining Order?”

Nick and Dahlia looked at each other for a moment. Nick nodded, drained his coffee, stood and gathered his things. He looked at Dahlia. “They’ll probably need you to sign something.” He looked at Alex. “Thanks. That would be the ultimate ‘Shut the fuck up and piss off’ gesture if there ever was one. I don’t know why we didn’t think of it.”

“Probably the energy it would take to waste that much time on them,” Dahlia said bitterly.

Alex nodded, still a bit confused as Nick walked out. He looked at Dahlia, a question obvious on his face.

“I’m the whore that trapped their innocent son with a baby, then divorced him when he became successful so that I could get his money. After the divorce, Nick would try to visit more since we didn’t before, because he knew they didn’t like me, but all they would talk about was how horrible I was in front of Callie. We were already very careful about how we separated to make it easier for her and they’d just bring it all down. Nick told them that they weren’t allowed to see Callie anymore if they continued, and they chose to continue. Nick broke off all contact with them a year ago.” Dahlia got up to tidy up their mess. She was developing a headache.

“So, they wanted Nick to buy your half of the business, I’m guessing?” Alex asked, starting to understand.

“Yes. For two-hundred fifty.” Dahlia sighed and leaned on the counter. 

Alex got up and went around to put his arms around her. “Your portion has got to be worth ten times that.”

Dahlia nodded. “And that’s just the building. I can’t remember what the business is worth.”

“Well, Nick is going to take care of it and Callie isn’t here,” he reassured. “When do you normally talk to her? Before you go to work?”

Dahlia nodded. “Usually after you leave.” She rubbed her face on his shirt.

“Is she having a good time?”

“So much so that I’m scared she’ll leave me when she graduates.” She tried to keep the sadness from her voice.

“Maybe if we take her on vacation there once a year, she’ll be satisfied to stay here.” He was pretty good with his reassuring voice.

She raised her head and stared at him for a moment, then smiled. He bent down to kiss her and after a few moments, Dahlia began to laugh. “What?” He tried to look affronted.

“Interesting aftershave.” She laughed again and walked around him to gather up her things for the day. She thought she might have detected a blush, but she thought that certainly her eyes were playing tricks on her. 

After a bit more playful kissing and hugging in the elevator and promises of meeting at six at Dishabille, they finally parted. Dahlia knew the day would drag on slowly.

Dahlia spoke to Callie briefly. Today was filled with backstage tours of several off Broadway productions. Callie was having the time of her life. It had cemented her desire to be stage manager. To Dahlia’s relief, she mentioned how she was looking forward to checking out the Arts departments at all the local universities.

Dahlia was doing some filing while Nick was running errands when her phone went off.

 

I never asked you if you enjoyed last night.

I did enjoy it. Very much.

 

That was the easiest question she’d ever had to answer.

 

What did you enjoy the most?

You make it difficult to choose.

Alright. Is it something that you’d like to do again?

I am spending the weekend with you. And I’m bringing the scarf.

Good. Do you think you can handle more?

 

Dahlia had to think how to answer this without sounding completely depraved.

 

I’m looking forward to you figuring that out.

 

Dahlia smiled.

 

Well, aren’t you being coy.

;-)

I’m going to have to punish you for that. With a paddle.

 

Dahlia wondered if she should carry smelling salts with her at all times now.

 

If it pleases you.

Oh, it will please me.

Did you enjoy last night?

More than I’ve ever enjoyed anything. Ever.

 

This pleased Dahlia very much.

 

I did okay for my first time, then?

Yeah. You were perfection. You are exactly what I’ve always wanted.

 

Dahlia noticed the verb change and upped her status from love-sick to obsessive sycophant.

 

You aren’t going to let me out of bed all weekend, are you?

Nope.

Well, I do need my rest.

LOL Keep telling yourself that.

You have to be worn out.

I am. But, I can’t seem to stop wanting to crawl inside you every time we’re together. But, I’ll do my best to just cuddle if that’s what you need.

You’re in luck. I seem to have the same problem as you.

Good. That’s settled then. No sleep for either of us. ;-)

I can’t wait.

I can’t either. I miss you. I’ll see you at six. We can get some dinner then.

Sounds good. :-)

 

Dahlia sighed happily. She continued her filing until Nick brought lunch.

 

Dahlia made her way up the elevator around five. She had an hour to pack and shower. She also had a small errand to run. She flashed through her shower, so she could spend more time packing. She packed one of the cute bra and pantie sets she had just bought and put on another. She packed her versatile black wrap dress, another sundress and another pair of panties. She went to the dryer and pulled out her oft-worn pale pink nylon chemise. It wasn’t the sexiest, but Alex would appreciate the color. She packed just the basic toiletries. She would filch some from Alex should she need it. She grabbed her toothbrush, a travel face wash and face cream. She already carried sunscreen in her purse.

She went to her closet and looked for something to wear. Most of her wardrobe were sundresses as they were easy and she hated trying on jeans. She grabbed one off to the side that she’d only wore once since it was so low-cut. She had a good reason to wear it now.

She gathered her bag and purse and took a look around the room. She saw the scarf hanging haphazardly off her pillow and she went to grab it and put that in her bag as well. She opened her nightstand drawer and looked at her vibrator. She grabbed it. Now it was time to hit the XXX down the street.

Traffic was a little heavy and it occurred to her that it was entirely unreasonable to not want to go to the gift shop at Dishabille. But, she couldn’t. She could barely handle going into an anonymous shop as it was.

Ten minutes later, she found herself standing motionless just inside the door of the adult shop. She was going to have to canvass this place or ask where to find the butt plugs. Canvass she would. Thankfully, it seemed there were fishbowls on every end cap. All colors, shapes, and sizes. Dahlia held in a hysterical laugh. She picked out a small dark blue one to match her dildo while still holding in a laugh. She found the lube easily enough and for a moment she was surprised that there were as many lubricants as there were shampoos at the market. She reached for a small one advertised for anal play. With blushing cheeks, she marched bravely to the check-out to a clerk who didn’t even bat an eye. She appreciated the lack of small talk, though in her head was a running commentary of all the small talk that could be had in a place such as this.

She all but ran for her car and hid the contraband in an empty side pocket of her bag. She looked out both sides of her windows and started her car. She checked the time. She still had fifteen minutes.

She texted Alex to let him know that she was on her way. A little later, she pulled into the back of Dishabille as instructed and thought she spied Alex’s car, but wasn’t certain. He hadn’t texted her back, so she wasn’t sure. She went through the back entrance, using the code, and again through the door down the stairs on her right as she walked in. This door was coded as well, and as it opened and she walked through, she nearly laughed out loud. It was a dungeon. Stone walls and lit sconces.

Alex’s was the first door, and she knocked once and turned the handle. It was unlocked, so Dahlia knew he was there and she peeked around the door with a smile. What she saw gutted her.

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh noes!

**Chapter 9**

 

“Excuse me?” The beautiful woman in just a corset asked, rudely. “This is a private room.”

Dahlia took two steps backward, and the door closed automatically. She wondered if she had the right room. He’d said the one closest after you’d entered the second door. On the right. Tears began to blind her eyes, and she was being fueled by an instinct to just escape. She ran to her car and started it, and it wasn’t until she’d pulled onto the road that she’d realized that she couldn’t see and couldn’t stop the tears. She drove up a few blocks and parked at a convenience store.

Many moments passed before the tears slowed. The pain was unbearable and all this time that she believed that Nick had broken her heart almost made her laugh hysterically. Nick never had the power to hurt her like this.

Her phone kept going off, but she didn’t feel inclined to pick it up. She had to think. The more she tried, the less it made sense. Why would Alex have another woman there, today? If he were messing around, wouldn’t he have had her leave before. Her. The woman with long wavy blonde hair, and completely naked except a corset around her middle. The beautiful woman sitting with her legs spread, facing the door. Waiting for Alex. Dahlia felt like she was going to throw up. God, she was so stupid. He never promised fidelity, but he sure implied it. He mentioned monogamy, but maybe he was trying several girls out before he picked one. Maybe she was one of many. Maybe he wasn’t as busy at work as he’d said. Maybe he’d spent so much time with her this week because she was the newest. Maybe he didn’t want her anymore and this was the way he’d chosen to get rid of her. She couldn’t reconcile a cruel Alex with the one she’d gotten to know and she couldn’t believe that Miranda would’ve been in on it. That still didn’t change the fact that she was a fool.

She picked up her phone. Five new texts and two missed calls. All from Alex. She wasn’t ready to hear from him. She turned her ringer down. She couldn’t drive. Not yet. She put her head on the steering wheel and inhaled wetly. She closed her eyes and tried to go straight to step two in the stages of grief, but the tears were still coming. She wasn’t aware of time or even the temperature. She wondered if she should call Nick to come get her. She thought that was a pretty good idea. She’d get to it in a minute. When the pain subsided.

 

When Alex pulled into the lot at Dishabille, he didn’t see Dahlia’s little gray Honda coupe. He’d gotten her text fifteen minutes previously, so he figured she’d beat him. Maybe she’d forgotten something at home. He pushed in the code for both doors and put his key in the door for his room, but noticed that it was unlocked. It didn’t surprise him. He’d gotten a call from one of his friends that he works with occasionally asking if he and his girlfriend could use his room to change in. They were going to spend the evening at Dishabille, but all the rooms were already reserved and he didn’t want to have to pick up his girl in broad daylight, with the outfit that she’d promised to wear. Alex had agreed readily. He texted Jeff the code to let them in and texted Miranda to unlock his door when she went up to work. The code changed weekly, so they’d be getting a new one tomorrow. Jeff said they’d be out of there by six, so it was possible that they hadn’t left, yet.

When he walked into his room, he nearly dropped his bag. In a chair across the room was Brigit. She was naked from the waist down, one leg over the arm of the chair, and smiling seductively, as she played with her breasts.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Alex asked with barely controlled anger.

Brigit laughed. “You said we could use your room. I must say, I’m a little disappointed that you never brought me here.”

Ah, thought Alex. Poor Jeff. “I didn’t bring whores into my personal space.” He wasn’t about to tell her that he moved in after they were together. “Where is Jeff?”

It was true that they’d always went to her place, or to a room upstairs. She wasn’t going to let that deter her. “I sent him out to get supper. Across town. He should be awhile, yet.” She crooked her finger at him. “Come here. I’ve missed you.”

Alex took some calming breaths and took his phone out of his pocket. He needed to check on Dahlia. To warn her. “I want you to get dressed and leave immediately.”

“Don’t be like that,” she said as she stood up and walked towards him.

“Don’t fucking come near me. Get the fuck out before I call security.” He realized he wouldn’t be able to give Dahlia proper attention, so he just texted for her to call him ASAP. 

Brigit’s footsteps faltered. She really wasn’t expecting vehement rejection. Alex wasn’t looking at her at all like she expected. “Haven’t you missed me?”

“No,” he said instantly. “Leave, now.”

“Ooh, I love it when you talk like that,” she cooed, taking a step closer to him.

He held up a hand. “Back the fuck off.” He texted Miranda.

 

My room ASAP

 

Brigit started to touch herself. One hand on her breast and another working its way down. Alex didn’t care to look.

After a few moments of tense silence, Miranda walked in and took two seconds to assess the situation. Brigit at least had the decency to look shocked and try to cover herself.

“Why the fuck is she here?” Miranda asked, eying her with disdain.

“She came with Jeff,” Alex said tersely.

“Well, where the fuck is Jeff?” Miranda asked the next obvious question.

“She sent him out to get food. He’s not back, yet. I want her gone before Dahlia gets here,” Alex said angrily.

This wasn’t going at all how Brigit expected. She knew that she might have to do some begging, but he didn’t seem to be fazed at all by her seductive non-outfit. She had tried to text and call Alex several times, but he’d never acknowledge any communication. She wanted him back. She knew that she had been wrong in stringing him along, but she hadn’t wanted to tie herself down back then. She should have realized that he was the best of the best when she’d had him.

At the mention of another woman, Brigit knew that she would get the last laugh. She didn’t take rejection well. “That short curly-headed woman?” She asked innocently. “She left. She looked a little upset.”

Alex was murderous. He spoke quietly and precisely. “Are you saying that the love of my life walked in here and saw you in the exact same position that I did?”

Brigit nodded brightly. “I told her this was a private room. She shut the door and I could hear her running away.”

“Miranda.” Alex tried to calm himself. “Get her the fuck out of here, or I might go to jail.”

Miranda pulled her phone out and called her two-man security team. “We have a woman in Alex’s. She needs an escort off the premises.”

“I’m going to drive over and see if she’s home,” Alex said. He felt a panic attack coming on.

“I’ll take care of this,” Miranda reassured. “Dahlia is a sensible girl, Alex.”

He nodded, and ignored Brigit’s calls as he walked out of the room. He sped over to Dahlia’s and was dismayed when her car wasn’t there. Nick’s was, though. He didn’t know where else to go. He punched in the code and was relieved to see that Nick was still at his desk.

“What is it? Has something happened?” Nick stood and asked.

Alex thought he must have looked truly awful. He reached up to rub his face and his hand came away wet. “We were meeting at my place at six. She got there before me. When she walked in, one of my ex-girlfriends was there waiting for me. She was mostly naked. Dahlia left.”

“One of your exes?” Nick wanted to clarify.

“Yes,” Alex bit out. “Miranda is having her escorted off the property. I don’t know where Dahlia is. She won’t answer my texts or calls. I tried the whole way over.” Alex sat, breath coming faster. “I can’t lose her. I can’t.”

Nick picked up his phone and tried to call her. She didn’t answer, so he texted her. He wasn’t expecting one back.

“Can you think of any place she might have gone? Any place at all?” Alex asked desperately.

Nick shook his head and sat back, trying to think. He knew that Dahlia was in love with Alex and that she must be devastated right now. He was a little concerned, but didn’t know how much he should worry. He didn’t think she would do anything stupid. He wasn’t certain that he could say the same for Alex. He was a complete mess.

Nick knew that Alex was sincere. He didn’t know how easy it would be to convince Dahlia once she was found, but he absolutely deserved to try. He suddenly remembered. Her phone. “We can track her phone.”

Alex stood and walked to Nick’s desk as he logged onto the tracking application. Ever since Callie started carrying a phone, they’d wanted something just in case they were separated. It took a few moments to bring up Dahlia’s location, but then a few more for Alex and Nick to understand what it meant. “That’s where the club is, right?” Nick asked. Dahlia’s location showed that she was right next to Dishabille.

Alex was confused. “Yes. How accurate is this? Is there a time delay?”

Nick shrugged. “Let me do my phone.” He clicked his number and his location showed that he was behind the building.

“So, she’d be right near the club. Alex– ” Nick checked his watch, then looked at Alex with a serious expression. “If she were only able to drive a little ways and it’s been over an hour, she’s going to be– I don’t know.” Nick took a deep breath. “She’s head over heels for you. I don’t know what kind of condition she’s going to be in.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “Do you want me to go?”

Alex considered it. He really did. But he needed her now. Needed to see her and try to comfort her. Make her believe him. He shook his head. “Keep your phone close just in case she doesn’t believe me. She’ll need someone.”

Nick grabbed his arm as he was leaving. “Even if she doesn’t believe you right away, she will. You’ve got your sister and me to vouch for you.”

Alex nodded. “Thanks. I’ll let you know something soon, okay?”

Nick nodded. “Good luck.”

Alex drove toward Dishabille, looking in each small parking lot he came across. He didn’t see her and traffic was really slowing him down. He knew that she was close, so he parked his car at home and ran up the block. It was July, so it was still hot, even in the late evening.

He found her car two blocks away and he took off. He was out of breath when he got there, dripping sweat, and a little bit frantic. He saw her head resting against the steering wheel, but saw that her windows were rolled up and the car wasn’t on. He panicked. He tried to open the door, but it was locked. He knocked loudly on the window, calling her name.

He nearly sagged in relief when she opened her eyes. “Dahlia! Unlock the door!”

Dahlia raised her head and it took her a second to realize that she had nearly killed herself in this heat. Her pain had numbed any rational sense. She was very dizzy, but she had the sense to start the car and turn the air on. She was angry at herself for allowing this man to have so much control over her. Since he was here, she thought she’d let him make his excuses, then she could be on her way.

She looked at him. His face was red and dripping sweat. He looked like she felt. She thought it might be rude to smile.

“I’m going to get you water!” Alex shouted at her. “Don’t leave!” He walked in the store. Dahlia unlocked the door and waited. 

When Alex walked out with her water, he tried the passenger door and was a little surprised that it opened. He pressed the water into her hands. He sat and he wanted so badly to touch her; he felt like he needed to touch her, but didn’t dare. So, he talked. He barely stopped.

“I’d never betray you, Dahlia. I’m not capable. I know what it looked like. When I opened the door and saw her, I had to call Miranda because she wouldn’t leave, and she told me that you saw her and I had to leave because I was going to do something awful.” He reached in his pocket for his phone, so he could call Miranda. “A friend from work wanted to borrow my room so he and his girlfriend could change because Dishabille doesn’t have any free rooms tonight. He said they’d be out by six. I don’t know the whole story, but he’s apparently dating a woman I went out with briefly last year. I’ll call Miranda, so you can see.” 

With shaking fingers, he pressed ‘speaker’ and called Miranda. She answered right away. “Did you find her?” Miranda asked in way of greeting.

“Yes. I’m with her now.” He looked over at her and she was looking at him with no expression. She was half done with her water. That was a relief to Alex.

“Oh good,” Miranda said with relief. “We had to call the cops because someone went insane when Mike and Seth went to escort her out. I’m changing the codes tonight, just in case she saw. I’ll text them to you.”

“Really? Did Jeff come back?” Alex asked. 

“He did. I feel bad for the guy. She embarrassed him horribly, screaming and ranting, half naked. He left pretty quickly. He said to apologize to you,” Miranda relayed. “I still don’t quite understand how she knew you and Jeff were friends. She’d have had to be stalking you.”

“I didn’t know she was that crazy.” He was still surprised by her behavior. “She’d texted me a few times and called, but it’s been a few months. I never answered either one.”

“Is Dahlia okay?” Miranda asked tentatively. “Is she coming back with you?”

Alex took a deep breath and looked at Dahlia. She was looking expressionlessly at the phone. “I don’t know. I don’t know what she wants. I don’t know if this was too much for her.”

“I’m sorry, Alex. I won’t meddle again.” Miranda sounded regretful.

“Don’t apologize. Even if she never wants to see me again, it was the best week of my life,” Alex said, seriously. He felt close to tears. “I’m going to try to talk to her a bit more.”

“Text me when you’re back home. Love you.”

“Love you.” Alex ended the call and remembered he needed to let Nick know what was happening, but didn’t have his number. He looked at Dahlia who was looking at him again. “I’m going to use your phone to text Nick, okay?” He was relieved when he saw her nod. 

He grabbed her phone from the console, turned it on, and looked for Nick in her messages. He tried not to read the texts that Nick had just sent her, but it was impossible. Nick said that Alex would never hurt her and to hear him out. Alex knew at that moment that he had a friend in Nick Jones.

 

Found her a few blocks away. She’s dehydrated, but I got her water. She’s drinking, but not talking. I’m not sure if she believes me. If I can’t get her to come home with me, I’ll call you to come get her. I don’t want her to be alone. If she comes home with me, I promise I’ll take care of her.

Good. I’ll keep my phone close.

 

Alex put her phone down and couldn’t stop himself from covering her hand with his. “I know you probably have questions. Will you come home with me? We need to get you somewhere you can rest. I’ll sleep on the sofa. Please?” Alex was going to beg if he needed to.

Dahlia took another long drink of water and looked at Alex and nodded. What a mess. It was hard for her to go from one extreme to the other, especially with a sun-addled brain. Twenty minutes ago her heart was torn into a million pieces and while she felt some relief, she also felt shame for not answering his calls. She couldn’t deal with it. She was so tired. They could sort it out tomorrow. “I’m tired,” she said softly to Alex.

He nearly cried. She was coming with him. She still wanted him. She had to. “Can you drive, or do you need me to?” He asked her while he chanced touching her tear-stained cheek.

She let out a soft laugh and shook her head. Alex smiled. “I’ll come get you.” He opened the door and walked over to her side. He opened the door and he offered her his hand and she took it readily. He couldn’t prevent the relieved smile when he’d pulled her to him, but he didn’t want to overwhelm her. She was a little unsteady on her feet at first and he wondered if he should take her to the hospital and he said as much. She shook her head. “If I’m still like this after a shower and food, then you can take me in.”

Alex thought a shower and food were promising. Then he’d let her sleep. This day that started so beautifully, he was determined to end it that way. He helped her into the car and had to prevent himself from skipping back to the driver’s side. It took him less than a minute to get them back to Dishabille.

He grabbed her bag, purse, and phone, and Dahlia was already getting out of the car when he got to her side. “Take it easy, baby,” he instructed. She gave him a small smile that he relished and he checked his phone for the new code, so that they could get in. As soon as they were in his room, he saw her eyes stray to the chair. “I’m going to burn the chair.” That earned him another smile.

He put her stuff down and texted Miranda quickly. When he put his phone down, he looked over at Dahlia and followed her gaze and smiled. It was a large poster-sized black and white framed picture above Alex’s king-sized bed. “I told them to give me the largest they could with the megapixels of your camera, and you guys have a pretty good camera.” He watched her as she stared. “It came in earlier today and I came to hang it when I had lunch. I wanted it to be ready for when you got here,” he said softly to her, trying very hard to keep his hands to himself.

Seeing the photo of them together in such a prominent place was like a switch being turned on. She moved into his arms and pressed her face against his chest. He moved his hands to cradle her head and held her. He knew she was crying and he let her. She was here. She wanted to be here. And she understood. He would tell her anyway.

He kissed her forehead and moved his hands to cradle her face. He kissed the tears from her eyes, and smoothed them off her wet face with his fingers. He kissed her pliant mouth, but only just a brief taste. “Do you see?” He asked seriously, but with affection. She opened her eyes. “I love you.” He watched her eyes fill with tears again. “You’re it for me. I’m done. I can’t be without you. I pretty much knew it already, but the panic I felt today when I’d realized that you must be so hurt and after I told you that I wouldn’t break your heart– ”

“Shhh.” Dahlia silenced him. She was right. She was a fool, but for different reasons now. She laughed quietly, but with delight. “Shower with me and feed me.”

Alex laughed as well. “Aren’t you high maintenance? You’re going to make me wash your hair, aren’t you?” He was trying to tease her, but for the lump in his throat.

She looked down shyly. “If you don’t mind.”

Alex sighed, completely besotted. He pulled her toward the bathroom, glancing at her as she looked at their portrait.

Alex had a separate stall for his shower. He eyed it dubiously, wondering if they both could fit, but Dahlia was already reaching to turn it on. She didn’t seem concerned. He pulled the shirt off over his head and realized at that point how badly he needed a shower, but was momentarily distracted when he heard her gasp. “You’ve got all my stuff in here.” The bench was lined with products from her bathroom. “How did you– ?”

Alex was surprised at his surge of bashfulness. “I memorized the brands and asked Miranda where to get them.”

She looked at him. “You did this today?”

He nodded.

She shook her head. “Make sure you let me know if I’m not caring for you back. Promise?” She looked a little anxious.

He walked over to her and he pulled off her clothes slowly and reverently. “I promise.” He unclipped her bra and tried his best to keep her unmolested at this point. “But this weekend, please let me care for you.” His voice was low and urgent as he knelt down to remove her panties. The wave of lust nearly knocked him down. He would try to ignore it for now.

He helped her into the shower and he cleaned her in silence. There was just enough space. Had conditions been better, it was actually the perfect amount of space, but he was sure he could explore that before the weekend was up.

He quickly washed himself as she leaned against the bench. He had turned down her offer of help, only because he couldn’t handle the stimulation and because his ministrations had relaxed her so completely. He needed to get her fed before she fell over.

He wrapped her in a large robe while he threw a towel around his waist and went to fetch her bag. As soon as he was confident that she wouldn’t fall over, he went and threw on some jeans and loitered uselessly at the bathroom door until she emerged. She was wearing a pale pink chemise and she apologized quickly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t bring anything else. And I would murder any shirt that you have– ”

Alex went to reassure her. “I’m curious to see you in one of my shirts now,” he teased and she pushed him away with a blush and a smile. “I’m going to fetch dinner. There’s a Chinese across the street. How does that sound?”

“Sounds fine,” Dahlia said.

He picked up his phone to call it in. “Anything in particular you want?”

“Garlic chicken. Do you know if their wonton soup is good?”

“Dunno. Miranda gets this rice soup. She gets it several times a week.”

“I’ll take that, then.” She heard Alex on the phone and let her eyes wander around the room. It was one large room with an adjoining bath. The room was as big as her apartment. There was a small kitchen tucked in the corner. There wasn’t a dishwasher or an oven, but there was a full-sized stainless steel refrigerator. She saw a toaster oven and microwave and what she thought was probably an electric griddle. She saw fruit and a loaf of bread on the counter.

“Help yourself to whatever you want to drink.” Alex walked over and bent down to kiss her. That took a little longer than he’d planned. He broke away, breathless, and laughed weakly. He shook his head to clear it. “I’m just going across the street. Call me if you need anything. I’ll be back in ten.” He picked up his wallet and walked to the door. “Oh! Talk to Nick.” He knew he’d want to hear from Dahlia.

Dahlia smiled and nodded. When he left, she stood and looked around some more, eyes straying to their portrait. God, if she would have just walked two feet into the room instead of running like a coward, she would have known.

She went to Alex’s desk, which helped serve as a room divider, that and the sofa, and picked up her phone. She read the conversation between Alex and Nick and hated what she’d put him through. She’d never run again.

 

I’m here. Showered and about to eat. Alex and I are more than fine. Hope I didn’t worry you too much.

Silly girl. You’re lucky I remembered to track your phone.

I hadn’t even thought to ask how he’d found me. I was a little out of it.

I know. He won’t hurt you. You should have seen him.

I feel bad about scaring him.

You thought he’d been unfaithful.

But if I had just walked two feet into the room. Nick, he has the picture you took blown up above his bed. It’s huge. I would have reacted differently if I’d seen it.

Wow. Well, there you go. He loves you.

I know. He told me. And then some.

Did you tell him?

Not yet. I will tonight.

You’d better.

Yes, dad. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

Sounds good.

 

Dahlia put her phone down and walked to the fridge to make their drinks. She found several gallons of tea, some bottled water, a case of Coke, and beer. She pulled out the tea, guessing by the quantity, that he preferred that. She poured them two glasses and found the plates easily as he only had a few cabinets.

She debated on whether to use the table that she found tucked behind the sofa, but opted to use the coffee table because the table had quite a few electrical components strewn about and she didn’t want to mess with something important.

She took the drinks and set them down on the coffee table, then went back for the plates and to get the utensils. As she walked back to the sofa, Alex walked in with their food.

“Is eating here fine?” Dahlia asked.

“Yeah. It’s where I normally eat.” Alex was glad that she was feeling better. He was still going to be on his best behavior tonight. He would make love to her should she want it, but he was going to make sure that she wasn’t doing it for him. He knew she was tired and weak and he just wanted to care for her in any way he could. 

He sat next to her and tried his best for a quick kiss and mostly succeeded, but she had put her hand on his cheek as he moved toward her. God, he loved her. He wondered if he’d ever get enough of her. It didn’t bother him that she hadn’t said she loved him back because he knew she did. He knew that she’d tell him when it was right for her.

They made quick work of dishing out the food and Dahlia sighed in absolute bliss when she’d tried the soup. Alex had gotten her garlic chicken and him some beef and broccoli and got them half noodles and half fried rice. He also got them eggrolls and dumplings. He knew she wouldn’t have much of an appetite, but one of his favorite meals was leftover Chinese for breakfast.

After their meal, Alex instructed Dahlia to go get in bed while he cleaned up. He refused any help. He was pleased that she’d eaten half the soup and a little bit of everything else. She also drank her tea.

“You’d better hurry, then. I can barely keep my eyes open.” She crawled into his bed and put herself right in the middle. She smiled at him. He didn’t bother to wash the dishes. He shucked his shirt and pants and Dahlia let out a bark of laughter to see that he hadn’t put on underwear. He got into bed and pulled her onto his chest. He rubbed her back as innocently as he knew how.

“I told you I could sleep on the sofa.” He’d only mentioned it just to hear her refuse. 

“Want you here,” she mumbled sleepily into his chest.

“Good,” he said, kissing the top of her head. They were silent for a moment and Alex was almost positive that she’d fallen asleep, but she’d moved her hand over his chest and under her chin. She turned her face to look at him. She wouldn’t be able to sleep if she didn’t tell him. She wasn’t sure why she didn’t say anything earlier after his admission, but she thinks it might be because she had felt so tired and overwhelmed that she wanted it to be when she was more cognizant. Not that she wasn’t tired now, but he’d finally settled down and she felt maybe he was relaxed enough to hear it. 

The lamp on his desk was still on. He’d forgotten to turn it off, but he was glad of it now. She looked at his face for long moments and took a deep staggering breath. “I’m in love with you.” She averted her eyes just briefly before she looked at his face again. He was looking calmly back at her. “I was in love with you then.” She eyed the portrait. “And I was half in love with you the very first night.” She brought her lips up to his and kissed him softly, but thoroughly.

Alex had accepted that he was just going to hold her that night. He found himself with a profound sense of relief that he was in bed with her. That she wanted him there. He thought maybe the adrenaline might be wearing down. He felt a bone deep lethargy that his mind hadn’t let him fully achieve. He was going to sleep well.

And now he wasn’t. Or at least not yet. “You are so cruel,” he said against her mouth. He pulled her up on top of him and her legs bracketed his hips automatically. When had she taken her panties off? Had she worn any at all? “So cruel,” he moaned.

“Why am I cruel?” she asked as she grabbed his cock and helped him inside her. Once she was seated, deeply, she pulled her chemise over her head.

He rose up to meet her. “Christ.” His hands automatically went to her breasts and palmed them, loving how they felt in his hands. “Baby, this is too much for you. Let me.” He flipped her around before she could protest. “I’m going to want you on top of me plenty this weekend. Let me do all the work. I’ll love you. I’ll make you come.” He wasn’t sure what he was saying anymore, as he thrust in her. God, he needed this. Needed to be with her like this. He already felt his orgasm embarrassingly quick, but he thought that this didn’t need to be drawn out. This was a reconnection and an affirmation. He brought his mouth back to hers and kissed her ardently as he moved his hand down her body, and steadily worked his thumb against her clitoris. She was gasping inside his mouth countless seconds later and when she gripped him, he rocked inside her, letting her finish completely. When her legs fell to the side and her dazed unseeing eyes opened, he pressed his forehead to her collarbone and pushed inside her as gently and as lovingly as he could.

She pressed her palm to his cheek and moved his face up to hers. He had an intense look of concentration on his face and Dahlia could tell how much he was holding back. She thought it might be nice of her to help him let go. She was going to play dirty. “Guess what I brought for tomorrow?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “I brought my vibrator.”

He opened his eyes to look at her and moaned when she wrapped her legs back around him and thrust up. “I’ve always had this fantasy of having two cocks inside me, so I was hoping that maybe you could try to prepare me.” Dahlia kept an innocent expression.

What the fuck was she doing, thought Alex. He was trying to be all nice and sweet and she was talking about how she wanted to be fucked with two cocks. This woman was going to kill him. He was subconsciously thrusting harder now, and apparently if she was well enough to torture him with her mouth, he was going to pay in kind.

He loved the look of surprise when he rose up and spread her legs wider. How he had intended to make this easier on her. He smiled diabolically. “You want me to get you ready for two cocks?” He didn’t wait for an answer. He pressed one thumb inside her on an outward thrust and pushed in slowly. And that was probably one of the hottest things he’d ever seen. He copied the movement with his other thumb and looked at her face. Her eyes were tightly closed, but she was flexing her hips up to meet him.

He fucked her slowly like this for a while until his cock went smoothly in on each thrust. Then he started to fuck her a little harder. He moved his hand up, cupping her wet pussy in his hand and teased her clitoris with his middle finger, wrenching a cry from her mouth that almost sounded painful. Had she not been coming all over his cock, he might have stopped to check.

She huffed out a disbelieving laugh and Alex gave her a dirty smile and bent to kiss her, their lips barely touching. He started fucking her so hard that he hoped she understood what he was saying. “Here I was, trying to be so nice. Then you go and be all greedy.” He kissed her for a moment, then growled, snapping his hips as his orgasm rushed through him.

He really tried to stop himself from falling on her. “What am I going to do with you?” He asked her, shaking his head fondly.

She smiled coyly back. “I don’t know. What do you want to do with me?”

He laughed and rolled off of her, but pulled her to face him. He was utterly smitten and he didn’t even try to keep it off his face. “How do you feel?” He moved a little closer, so their foreheads touched.

“Awake, now.” She yawned.

Alex let out an amused sound. He touched her softly with his fingers along her arm and back and he’d reveled in her contented sighs. “You told me the other day about Nick and a proper ring. What did you mean?” He knew she might suspect where this was going. Hopefully, she would be too tired to remember.

She was silent for a minute. She brought up her right hand. On her ring finger was a dainty ring with various colored stones. She pulled it off and put it on her left hand. “We had cheap wedding bands to begin with. We just needed something to wear for the wedding. By the time I was about seven or eight months pregnant, it didn’t fit me. I put it away. I never put it on again. We’d always promised ourselves that we’d get new ones when we had the money.” Dahlia held up her hand to admire her ring. “I bought my own ring five years ago. I had hinted and even recruited Callie, but he never bought me one.” She looked over at him. “I never considered this ring as a replacement for my wedding band. I just thought it was pretty. When we divorced, I moved it over to my right hand. It fits me better on my left, though.”

Alex wanted to hate Nick, but there was no point. Dahlia was his. “I’m sorry. That must have been really frustrating.”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “His indifference was maddening. I can’t blame him, though.”

That irritated Alex a bit. “Why not?”

She glanced at him. “Don’t say anything to anyone.” He nodded. “I’ve suspected for much of our relationship, or for as long as we’ve had Internet, that he might have low testosterone. It was the only thing I could think of. He always brushed me off. He told me yesterday that he went to the doctor, finally.”

“Why would he go now and not then?” He asked, confused.

Dahlia sighed. “Because he was having other symptoms. He hadn’t been feeling good. He always feels like he’s coming down with something. He went and got checked out. He got a shot. He has to go once a week to get one.”

“Well, that must have hurt.” Alex had to remember that he got the girl.

“A little. Luckily, I already had it bad for someone else.” She smiled at him. “Besides, I learned today that Nick has never really hurt me. He never had that power.”

Alex pulled her close. “I’m so so sorry. If I could turn back the clock.”

Dahlia shook her head. “While I don’t want to experience that again, I learned a lot about myself today and about you. And Nick, even. I didn’t know it was possible for me to feel closer to you. I should send that fucking bitch a fruit basket.”

Alex laughed loudly. “Oh, she would just love that.” He grabbed her hand and kissed it. “I love you.”

Dahlia was amused. “I love you, too.”

“What did you learn about Nick?” He wasn’t sure what she meant by that.

“I learned that he really is my friend. My best one. I felt it when I texted him. Our relationship shifted properly today, or rather my perception did. I’ve always told people that we were great friends. I wouldn’t allow myself to believe that I had that many years with a man and only a child to show for it. Today I believed it. I think he and I have had more meaningful conversations this week than we’ve had our entire relationship. He told me about his appointment, he even told me that you loved me.” 

Alex raised his eyebrows. “When?”

“It was after you’d told me today. When you went for food. I told him about the picture and he said that you loved me.” Her eyes were getting heavy, but she didn’t want to sleep. She yawned again.

“I guess we’re kind of obvious. He told me you were head over heels for me.” He smirked at her. 

“When did he tell you that?” Dahlia asked curiously.

“When I realized that you’d been here before me, I went looking for you. Once he tracked your phone, he...he said that you were head over heels for me and because of that he wasn’t sure what sort of condition you were going to be in. He offered to find you. I considered it.” Alex admitted.

Dahlia teared up. “I’m liking him much more now that I don’t think of him as my other child.”

“Not too much more, I hope,” Alex added.

“Not like. Maybe respect. I don’t know. Either way, it’s a healthy thing,” she replied.

“I’m just teasing,” he reassured. 

“I know.” She smiled and kissed him lightly. “But if he starts whipping out his boner in a testosterone fueled bender, I’ll come over right away.”

“Oh my God. Is that a possibility?” Alex was a little worried for Nick.

“He’s scared he’s going to start humping the furniture.” Dahlia thought that Nick was exaggerating, but now she wasn’t so sure. “He says that it’s common to need your dosage adjusted. Apparently, his levels were pretty low.”

“So, that’s why you don’t blame him. He didn’t feel like anything was wrong,” Alex concluded. “The last thing a guy wants to do is go tell a doctor that he doesn’t have a sex drive. It’s easier to believe that you’re just tired.” He looked down at her. “If we hadn’t gotten together, do you think you would have ended up getting back together with him?” Alex didn’t know why he asked.

To her credit, she didn’t answer right away. “I don’t know. I’d like to say that he’d really have to go out of his way to win me back, but I think I can only say that now because I know what it’s like to be with someone who shows me that he loves me. Truthfully, if I’d never known that it could be like this, like we are right now, I probably would have settled. It’s sad, but I know better now.”

Alex thought that was a fair assessment. He hadn’t thought of it that way. He held her tighter.

She yawned massively, but added, “There are worse fates than Nicholas Jones, but you’ve shown me that my life could be so much better.”

He didn’t know why he was feeling so insecure. He took a deep breath and looked at her face for a while. He liked Nick and knew he was a good guy and maybe that was what was bothering him. It was easier to believe that Dahlia had left some heartless asshole. Maybe Dahlia was right about getting Nick together with Miranda. He kissed her. “Go to sleep, my love. You’ve got a full day tomorrow.” He tried to leer at her, but it probably came out as worshipful.

She smiled sleepily.

He waited a few minutes after he was sure she was asleep. He climbed out of bed quietly and went to fetch his phone and spent a few minutes getting Nick’s number out of Dahlia’s phone. He turned out the light. He crawled back in, trying not to bother Dahlia, and got comfortable with her pressed against him. He turned the ringer down and texted Nick.

 

Are you up? This is Alex.

I just got in bed. What’s up?

Dahlia’s ring size. Do you know it?

The ring that she wears on her right hand is a 6. It was fitted to her left, though. LOL, I only remember because she once said how weird it was that her shoe, ring, and pantie size were the same. Then, since I wear a 10 shoe and 10 ring, she brought me home a pair of women’s size 10 underwear. God, I think I might still have them somewhere.

:-D I’m trying not to wake her.

She is fine, then?

She’s great. She ate pretty good and she’s had plenty of fluids. We talked a good deal until she couldn’t stay awake.

She told me about the picture. I might sneak over tomorrow to have a look. Maybe I should open a gallery. :-D

Maybe you should. We’ll probably have a late lunch tomorrow with my sister. Around 2. Can you escape?

Yeah. I had planned on leaving early anyway. I’ve got someone in to take appointments. Dahlia finished the filing, so we’re good.

Good. Park in the back. Text me. Then I’ll get you the codes. Miranda changed them because of earlier.

Sounds good. I’ll get back to you tomorrow.

 

Alex drummed his fingers against his phone, wondering what he wanted to do. Well, he knew what he wanted, but wasn’t sure what Dahlia preferred. He wouldn’t let himself believe that she’d say no. At the very least she might insist on a long engagement, and that was fine. He just wanted to officially pledge himself to her.

He had a ring. It was his great-great grandmother’s. His great-great grandfather was a jeweler in Prussia and he created a ring for her. It took him over a year before it was perfect. Alex inherited it when their grandmother died. She only had daughters, and he was the first male grandchild, so it went to him.

He wondered if Dahlia preferred it if he picked something out instead. Would she appreciate the sentimental value? Of course she would, Alex thought. His judgment was being clouded by Nick’s negligence. He decided to text Miranda.

 

What size is Bobi’s ring?

Alexander! It’s a 6, I think. Lemme go see.

Yeah, I’m a 7 and I’m not going to attempt to try to push it past my first knuckle.

Do you think she’ll like it?

Duh. When are you going to give it to her?

I don’t know. Probably sometime this weekend if I don’t chicken out.

Bobi would be so happy! Gotta go. Being paged.

:-) Lunch at 2 manana. Don’t forget.

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay. Was publishing a new series.

**Chapter 10**

 

Dahlia woke slowly the next morning. For the first time this week she felt rested. She was still a little delightfully sore from the crazy amount of sex she’d been having, but she wasn’t going to complain. She stretched languidly and giggled when she felt fingers across her ribcage. She opened her eyes and saw Alex next to her, sitting with a laptop in his lap, and a pair of large black-rimmed spectacles perched precariously on his nose. “Isn’t this domestic?” Dahlia asked.

He gave her a covetous glance and Dahlia wasn’t prepared for the rush of devotion she felt. “What are you doing?”

“Putting appointments onto my calendar for next week. Boring, really. How are you feeling?” 

“I feel fine.” Dahlia couldn’t stop staring at him with his glasses. She hadn’t thought that he could be even more adorable. “I didn’t know you wore glasses.”

“Oh.” He grabbed the frames and adjusted them. “I’ve been forgetting to take my contacts out this week. Been sleeping in them. My eyes were pretty dry and sore this morning.”

“I like them. A lot,” Dahlia said seriously.

Alex looked pleased. “You have all sorts of strange kinks, don’t you?” He put his hand back on her ribcage.

Dahlia laughed. “It’s turning out that way.” She rolled out of his reach and stood up. She looked around for her chemise and reached for it at the end of the bed.

“There’s really no point in putting that back on.” His gaze looked even more heated behind those glasses.

She let the material slip through her fingers. She made a detour to the bathroom for a few minutes, but made her way back out with one thing on her mind. She crawled back in the bed and he helped her move the computer off his lap. She raised her body over his, using the headboard for leverage. His hands automatically went to her breasts. It was a quick ride that had Alex’s frames sliding off by the end. Dahlia wasn’t sure why this seemed more intimate to her. Maybe it was because they were on his turf, but he’d gone out of his way to make her feel at home. Not feel at home, she thought, but show her that this was her home, too.

They lounged for most of the morning, talking and watching a bit of television. He remembered around one to tell her of the lunch they’d be having with Miranda and Nick. A little later, she took a quick shower while Alex received a work related call. She put on one of her new sheer black bras and matching panties, then threw on her black wrap dress.

Alex popped his head in to let her know that Nick was there already and that Miranda was on her way back from Ruby’s with barbecue.

When she walked out, she found Alex and Nick centering the large table that had been pressed up against the back of the sofa. Alex had moved all the electronics into a box in the corner from what she could tell, because she couldn’t see any other place for it.

Nick caught her eyes and glanced quickly over to the portrait, then back again at her and he smiled. “Have you talked to Callie today?”

Dahlia nodded. “We texted earlier. She’s going to brood for weeks when she gets home. She’s having the time of her life.”

Nick nodded. “She’s wants to go there instead of the beach during her winter holidays. I told her that I’d only want to be that far away for a couple nights and she said it was better than nothing, but she wanted a week, at least.”

“That’s what she told me.” Dahlia sighed. “We’ll figure something out.” 

Alex wanted to interrupt them, but he wasn’t sure if his input would be welcome in their family dynamic. He thought he would chance it. “We could split the week.” Both Dahlia and Nick turned their heads to look at him. “Nick, you and Callie go first for a few days while Dahlia holds down the fort, then we can fly up and do something together for the night, then you can fly home while Callie, Dahlia, and me finish out the week.” His voice was more confident than he felt, but one look at Dahlia’s face convinced him that he’d said something very right. He looked over at Nick and he had his arms crossed and the side of his mouth was turned upward. They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

Alex jogged to open the door, then quickly relieved Miranda of the bags. Dahlia walked over to the kitchen and pulled out four glasses and put ice in them. She showed Nick where to get the plates and utensils and moved over so he could take care of that while she briefly reacquainted herself with Miranda and asked what everyone wanted to drink. Alex introduced Miranda to Nick and Dahlia was quite relieved. She wouldn’t have been able to do it with a straight face. As it was, Nick couldn’t keep his eyes off Miranda, so Dahlia was hopeful.

Nick and Miranda stayed with them well over an hour. Miranda had brought several pounds of various meats and cole slaw, macaroni and cheese, and mashed potatoes. And a sweet potato pie that Alex pulled away from Nick before something inappropriate happened to the pie.

Dahlia was impressed that Nick was being a bit more animated and wondered if it was because of the shot. He was laughing at all the appropriate places when Miranda spoke and he was smiling. She wasn’t used to seeing him being so sociable.

After a while they started talking of business and Nick offered to come by tomorrow to look at all Miranda’s financial records, all with a charming smile. Alex hooked Dahlia’s leg under the table and gave her a ‘are you seeing this’ glance. Dahlia decided her best choice of action would be to let Nick do his thing, because she was increasingly curious at what his ‘thing’ was going to be.

Once the pie was gone, because Nick had two slices to Miranda’s obvious delight, it was time for Miranda to go to her weekly staff meeting and get the club ready for the evening. They all said their goodbyes and as Dahlia was turned toward Nick, she wasn’t able to see that Miranda handed something over to Alex. Nick saw it, though, and Dahlia couldn’t decipher the look that the other three gave each other. She didn’t understand what just took place, and she knew something had, but it was most likely a Nick and Miranda thing, and she was going to stay out of that.

Once the door was shut, Dahlia felt an anxiousness wash over her. She had plans. Filthy plans. And she wasn’t sure how she was going to pull them off with Alex looking at her as if he hadn’t eaten. Luckily, she was able to distract with gossip.

“I’ve never seen Nick smile at anyone like that. Ever.” She walked back to the table and started to tidy it up. 

“Your asexual ex and my asexual sister making eyes and smiling at each other. It was strange to watch it unfold.” Alex put the leftovers away while Dahlia started the dishes. He really didn’t want to talk about Nick or Miranda when he had a ring burning a hole in his pocket. He was also getting aroused watching her at his sink washing the dishes, but he wasn’t about to say that one out loud. He walked over to dry, and his arousal grew sharper and he laughed inwardly wondering how common a housewife fetish was. He wasn’t going to ask that out loud either. He decided to be good for now, since he planned on using the paddle on her tonight. He would put in a movie and let her relax for a bit.

After a good bit of laughing from Dahlia, they sat down together and watched _Star Wars: A_ _New Hope._ Alex was surprised he was able to behave himself for so long. As the credits began to roll, Dahlia was about to excuse herself for the bathroom, when Alex’s phone rang. She heard him ask a series of computer questions and she stood, hoping this phone call would last a bit. As she walked to the bathroom, she heard a loud sigh. She turned her head around.

“I’m sorry. Miranda’s computer just did...something. I’ve got to go recover a file. I shouldn’t be more than a few minutes,” Alex said apologetically. 

Dahlia smiled as he walked over to kiss her. “It’s okay.” She bit his bottom lip as he pulled away. “I’ll try not to pine.”

He moaned and pressed against her, letting her feel what had been pretty constant since she’d come into his life. “You could pine a little bit.”

She laughed and pushed him away. “It will be more than a little bit.”

With great restraint, he walked to the door. “I love you.”

Dahlia laughed again. “And I love you.”

With an obstinate glare, he left, and Dahlia ran for the bathroom. She didn’t know how much time she had. She wished she would have had an opportunity to practice putting it in and wearing it, but there was no time to stress about it now. She pulled out the harmless bit of silicone from her bag and the small bottle of lubricant. She took off her dress, laying it neatly on the counter, and pulled her panties down. She opened the small bottle and put a few drops onto her fingertips. She raised a foot onto the bathtub and reached under, applying as much lubricant as she could without too much of a mess. She grabbed the butt plug and coated the bulb evenly and tried ineffectually to put it inside her, because the lubricant made it difficult. She huffed out an annoyed breath, and pressed harder. The sudden insertion was quite a shock. She calmed her breathing and walked back and forth in the bathroom until she didn’t feel the sudden urge to pull it out.

She pulled her panties back up and went to her bag to pull out the scarf and she remembered the dildo. It was one she’d had for a while. It was dark blue and about six and a half inches. She pulled it out as well. She tied the scarf around her eyes and pulled it up so she could see and left the bathroom. She put the dildo on the nightstand and she climbed up onto the bed and crawled to the middle. She folded her legs underneath her, pushed the scarf down over her eyes, and sat patiently for long moments. Just when nerves were about to completely take over, she heard the door down the hall shut. She couldn’t breathe.

When Alex walked in the door and saw Dahlia upon their bed, eyes covered, and nipples visible beneath her sheer black bra, he was rendered motionless and speechless. It was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

He took in the beauty of her submission and after a minute of gazing at her, he walked purposefully to his closet to get the paddle. It was a smaller paddle with dark wood and it was fairly thick. He had no experience with it, so he was going to have to be extra cautious.

His hands shook as he walked to the bed. He decided he was going to pull her across his lap. He kicked off his shoes and dropped his jeans hurriedly. He remembered the ring at the last minute and bent down to fish it out of his pocket. He went to place it in a drawer by the bed, and saw the dildo. He smirked. His shirt was off a half second later. He hadn’t bothered with underwear.

He crawled onto the bed and ran his hand down her back. “You are the most beautiful thing...” Alex whispered. “Turn around and come here. I want you across my lap.” He led her to his lap. As she moved her body down across his lap, he saw it. She was magnificent. “Oh Dahlia...” He began impatiently pulling her panties from her hips. “This is highly indecent. I’m going to have to punish you.” He tried to fake a voice of authority, but the anticipation came through very clearly. He was too distracted by her bottom. He moved the plug around in a circle, loving the way she squirmed on his lap. He pulled it out until he saw the thickest part of the bulb, then pushed it back in. He fucked her this way for a bit, then reached over for the dildo, so that he’d have it closer. His brain was filled with so many vulgarities that he felt he would short circuit.

He brought the paddle down five times in quick succession, doing his best to avoid the butt plug. He didn’t allow her to recover from that onslaught as he gently tapped the plug as she moved her hips back and forth as she moaned.

He smacked her two times more slowly, but quite a bit harder causing her to cry out. He did it two more times, just as hard, and then soothed her with his hand as she shook.

Her bottom was red. It skipped the pink altogether. “You’re doing very well,” he murmured, and thought he might try something. He picked up the dildo and wasted no time, pushing it into her as far as it would go. He knew she would be wet. She always was. He fucked her deeply for a moment, then came down quickly with the paddle, using most of his strength. He saw a bit of blueness among the red and decided he was nearly done. He pulled out the dildo, and pummeled the butt plug with lighter swats for several minutes. He ended with three very hard smacks, with a shriek coming from Dahlia on the last one.

He brought his lips to her bottom and kissed her several times, murmuring his pleasure and allowing her tears to subside. He pulled off his glasses and put them on his nightstand. He was so hard, but he was going to actually try to practice some self-control. He maneuvered her until she was on her back and he rolled on top of her. He sucked a nipple in his mouth through the material of her bra and kissed his way down to her pussy. He grabbed the dildo and moved her thigh over his shoulder and it took her seconds to come once he’d established a rhythm with the dildo and his mouth had barely touched her clitoris.

He wanted inside her. Ever since she said that she’d wanted to be fucked with him and the dildo, it’s all he could think about. He’d never even thought to do that with anyone and he loved how dirty her mind and mouth were. He sat back on his haunches and pushed her knees up. He briefly got distracted by her ass. He was going to fuck her there. She was clearly asking for it and he was done being nice about it. He pulled her butt plug all the way out, causing Dahlia to arch her back and gasp, then he pressed it back into her quickly and roughly. God, he was so going to fuck her.

He pressed the dildo in and slowly pushed in beside it. He felt her tense underneath him, but she didn’t protest. Once the head was in, he paused briefly to catch his breath. It hurt just a little, but he craved the depravity of it. He pushed in a little more, then pulled back minutely. Dahlia moaned and Alex took that as a good sign. He pushed all the way in and rocked his hips. It felt amazing.

Dahlia was lost in a haze of pure sensation. She felt keenly every inch of him pushing inside her and she wanted to see his face, but didn’t dare ask. She groaned in encouragement instead, and wantonly spread her legs. She felt the heel of his palm against her clitoris.

Alex pressed his hand against her to distract her from the fucking he wanted to give her. He pressed against her rapidly and began increasing his strokes inside her. He pulled halfway out and slammed back in numerous times until he felt her squeezing his cock. His orgasm rushed through him and he blacked-out momentarily.

He opened his eyes some moments later, still hard and inside her, while she ran her fingers through his hair. His face was against her collarbone. “Oh Jesus, I’m sorry. How long have I been out?”

She chuckled. “Only about a minute.” She continued playing with his hair.

He pulled out the dildo slowly and she tensed up. “Sorry,” he said. He pulled the damp scarf from her eyes and kissed them. “Are you sore?”

“All over,” she sighed happily. “I’m hoping to be even more sore before the night is through.”

He rolled his hips. “You are...so perfect,” he finished and brought his mouth against her. He kissed her deeply, tongue desperately searching for anything he’d not tasted. He fucked her slowly.

She hummed in pleasure and met his thrusts. “Actually, I think I’m worn out. You’re almost done, right?” Dahlia asked innocently.

He raised his head and shook his head at her teasing smile. He moved his hand down to her bottom and she hissed in pain. He squeezed causing her to tighten around him. His hand moved down to the plug and he stretched her rim. He stared into her eyes and pulled the butt plug out, flinging it to the side. He pulled out of her pussy and pushed inside of her ass slowly, not straying from her eyes. He wanted to see her every expression as he pushed into her. Once he was all the way in, he bent down to kiss her, just a small tease of his lips. He moved his hips just slightly and moaned, closing his eyes. “I was going to take this slow, you know? Tease you over days and days with my mouth and fingers. But you fucked that all up. I was going to be so gentle and slow.” He pulled out until the head was only just in and grabbed the dildo. He pushed it inside her still soaked pussy and hoped it stayed. “I’m sorry,” he said brokenly and apologetically. “I’ll come as fast as I can.”

He slammed into her ass and her body convulsed like an electrical current had moved through her. She wanted it exactly how he was giving it to her and she wanted him to know. She moved one hand down to keep the dildo inside her and one hand to her bottom, so she could open herself further for him.

“Fuck! Oh my God, look at you– ” Alex didn’t know he could fuck her harder, but he could, and he knew that he’d lied. He was going to make this last as long as possible. He pulled out and turned her over roughly. “Fuck yourself,” he said roughly. He pushed into her with one quick thrust. He grabbed her hips and pulled her back roughly. “Tell me you want this. Tell me this is where you want my cock.”

Dahlia didn’t know where he began and she ended. She was drunk on his words and on his cock. “Yes. Want you just like this,” she said breathlessly. “Want to please you.” She was able to keep the dildo in all the way with her fingers and Alex’s thrusts kept her filled deliciously.

“I think it’s impossible for you not to,” he bit out. He opened and squeezed her bottom, knowing that she loved it and battered her until he realized that any control he had was gone. He knew he’d better come quick, because she was going to need to recover even if it didn’t seem so. “Touch yourself. I want to feel you come,” he said, not slowing down. He felt his orgasm burning in his belly and was a little frightened by the sudden vertigo. He felt her tighten around him impossibly and he pushed in once, twice, then three times and he came. He didn’t know when it stopped. He pulled out reluctantly because he didn’t want to fall on her, and rolled over. He didn’t move or open his eyes for many long moments. Before he passed out, he pushed his fingers against her cheek. 

Dahlia gingerly pulled the dildo out and threw it to the side. She fell to her stomach. Everything hurt. Everything was perfect. She closed her eyes.

She awoke some time later with a warm cloth cleaning her. She was half embarrassed, but she didn’t have the strength to move. She closed her eyes again.

The next time she awoke was when she felt fingers pressing a cool cream into her bottom. She made a pained sound. She felt lips press against her sore flesh and sighed. “What time is it?” Dahlia asked with a dry mouth.

“About nine,” was the whispered reply. She felt movement on the bed and saw Alex walking nude to the refrigerator. He poured a glass of tea and walked back over to her. She could see his face clearly now and he looked troubled. “Drink this,” he said as he sat down.

She pushed herself up and couldn’t stop the wince. He looked away. She drank the tea quickly. She hadn’t realized how thirsty she was. “What’s wrong?” she asked. She didn’t think she’d displeased him, but she felt a pang of fear regardless.

He looked at her miserably. “I went too far, I think. I was too rough. You’re bruised.” He ran a hand gently down her bottom.

She was surprised at his regret. “I assumed I was going to bruise. I bruise very easily.” She put her hand on his face so he would look at her. “I loved every second of it. Every second. You’ve given me everything I’ve ever wanted and things that I didn’t even know I wanted. Please don’t regret it. Please,” she pleaded. She felt tears spring to her eyes.

His eyes stayed on her bottom for a little while longer and Dahlia noticed that he looked less stressed. He got a playful half-smile and dipped his finger and ran it over her hole, causing her to jump a bit. “How does this feel?” Alex asked, smiling mischievously.

“Very very sensitive,” she said automatically. She grew alarmed when she felt him mold himself to her back. She stiffened and he let out a little laugh before he moved to her other side. He faced her and looked at her worshipfully, scanning her features with his eyes. 

“I love you,” she told him because she wanted him to know it, at that very second. 

He lowered his eyes and gave her a tiny smile. She would have thought it an affectation had she not felt that she knew him so completely, even after knowing him such a short time. Relationships are funny that way, she thought. People can take their time and tiptoe around commitment because they don’t want to be judged on promiscuity or they don’t want to be hurt should things sour. People get their heart broken every day, and as far as Dahlia could tell, it didn’t matter when the commitment was made.

“Did you want to sleep or watch a movie? Are you hungry?” Alex asked her, fingers dancing down her back.

“I could eat,” she said, realizing that they hadn’t eaten in a while.

“So, dinner and movie, then bed?” Alex clarified.

“Dinner and movie, bath, then bed,” she corrected.

Alex nodded. “Are leftovers fine? And _The Empire Strikes Back_?”

Dahlia nodded and began to rise. Alex stood and helped her. “You go get the movie ready and I’ll get our food.”

Dahlia nodded again and went to the bathroom first. She looked a fright. Hair askew and marks that she couldn’t recall peppered along her chest. She turned and stood on her tiptoes. Oh, yes. She could see why Alex felt bad now. She didn’t actually recall it hurting more than the flogger, but that could be because she wasn’t as nervous with the paddle. She wasn’t lying when she said she bruised easily, so that would be something that they would need to take into account for next time. She liked that he wasn’t very experienced with the lifestyle. They would learn together.

She finished up in the bathroom and put on her chemise. Alex was still at the microwave, so she walked over to get their drinks, and to steal a kiss, then settled down on the sofa. She started the movie as soon as Alex sat with their plates.

Dahlia couldn’t think of a better way to spend the evening. In fact, she couldn’t think of a better way to spend her life.

The bath took place in a haze of fatigue, but Alex was especially attentive. Once she felt thoroughly relaxed and cleaned, she allowed him to help her to bed where the last thing she remembered was him draped across her back as she fell asleep. They hadn’t bothered with clothes, which was probably for the best, thought Dahlia. She knew he’d be taking her first thing.

 

Alex couldn’t sleep. Though Dahlia was safe from any nocturnal ravishment, she wasn’t safe from Alex’s scattered thoughts. He should have given her the ring. He hadn’t forgotten, but it would have seemed too contrived during sex. Anytime after seemed more logical, but he’d been overcome by a sudden shyness that only proved that he’d been completely stripped bare, physically and emotionally. He was still in awe of her submission and the way she seemed to be learning along with him. As hard as it was for submissives to find someone to help mold and train them to the Dominant’s specifications, it was equally hard for a Dom to find someone that doesn’t mind a bit of a learning curve. He had visions of restraining Dahlia on a steel frame, suspended and blindfolded with her absolute trust. He shivered with all the possibilities, knowing that she’d allow him things because she understood, and because she knew that Alex wouldn’t take her for granted. He knew that this wouldn’t be a spontaneous activity in their life for the most part because of Callie, so they would make do for more deliberate activities, and that was best in Alex’s opinion. He was still learning; they both were, and he wanted to methodically think over their extra-curricular activities. He didn’t want to make the mistake of losing complete control. Of course, intuitive though she was, Dahlia could easily wear the scarf out like she had before, then he would get to punish her for extreme impertinence on the weekend, or better yet, he could...the possibilities were endless and deviant.

He sighed and extricated himself from behind Dahlia and went to the drawer to get the ring. He felt its comforting weight in his palm and he hoped– no– he knew that Dahlia would see what this meant. It wasn’t just a marriage proposal, not to him. It was an invitation to be a part of the remarkable love that the men in his family have had for their brides for nearly one-hundred fifty years. He had a sudden pang of regret for not having a son, or any children, or not knowing if he’d ever have one. It wasn’t a deal breaker obviously, as he wanted Dahlia regardless, but Miranda had no children either. It wasn’t something he was going to dwell on.

He sat on the bed and felt around for her left hand. He held it for a moment and listened to her breathe. She hadn’t stirred. He took a deep breath and pushed it easily onto her ring finger. It fit like he knew it would. A small part of him felt cowardly, but he didn’t have the words, couldn’t fathom any accurate ones. He wanted the gesture to speak and he hoped that she would be listening. Alex crawled behind his bride and held her. Sleep came easily now.

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another morning.

**Chapter 11**

 

Dahlia woke to go to the bathroom in the wee hours of the morning. She was half-asleep, feeling for the switch and adjusting her sight to the brightness. It wasn’t until she was briefly running her hands under the faucet that she caught the glare of the clearest diamond that she’d ever laid eyes on. At least she thought it was a diamond. She moved her hand toward her tired eyes and the first thing she noticed besides the large oval stone in the center was what appeared to be strange black engravings across the band. The band wasn’t very thick, but the top and bottom were used as a baseline, so the markings started on one side and continued all the way around. As she looked, she thought it might be some sort of Greek, but upon looking at it further, she changed her mind. It was definitely a language, though.

She tilted the ring to the side and she gasped. The gallery was magnificent. The oval stone was haloed in bands of smaller diamonds. Now that she was fully awake, she could see the large stone clearly surrounded. She’d never seen anything quite like it. Dahlia could tell that the ring was quite old, but she had no idea how old. It must have been purchased at an antique shop, but it just didn’t seem to be something that Alex would have had time for. Unless it was a family ring. Dahlia lowered herself to the floor, hissing as her sore bottom came in contact with the cold concrete. She took the ring off and stared at it for many minutes. It was a family ring. She was sure of it. Alex put it on her finger while she slept. She wondered why she wasn’t hyperventilating. She put the ring back on and smiled.

She picked herself up gingerly and turned the lights off. She felt her way out of the bathroom and shuffled back to bed where Alex met her with grasping hands on her hips. She fell half on top of him and he moved his hands to her face, where he kissed her like she was his only sustenance. He eventually shifted her below him and he moved into her as easy as breathing. He made love to her until he couldn’t anymore and when they were done, he told her about the ring.

“I’d hoped you’d understand when you saw it,” he whispered into her hair.

She nodded. “It took me a few minutes, but I did. I nearly passed out on your bathroom floor.”

He didn’t laugh. He pulled her closer. He felt drugged. He didn’t know how he’d been so lucky to have found her.

“And what does the ring say? I can’t quite place the language. Oh! I guess you’re going to want to knock me up, too.” Dahlia gave an affected sigh. “I shall try to endure your spawn. What if I have a girl?” Give a girl a ring and she won’t stop talking.

Alex was momentarily struck silent. He was trying to process what she’d first said, but what she’d said after erased other thoughts from his head. His voice wavered. “I’ll only knock you up if you want me to.” He steadied himself. “A girl is fine. I’m not particular.” He paused. “Callie might have a son.”

“Christ, Alex. That’s– ” Dahlia didn’t know what to say. She’d have a hundred of his babies. She was still young; she could do it. 

“I’d like to wait a bit, though. I’d like you to myself for a while. Callie’s not exactly an infant anymore.” If he was honest, he might’ve been freaking out a bit.

Dahlia laughed. She was sure she scared him with talk of babies. “Don’t worry. I don’t plan on getting pregnant until you want a baby. Or not at all. Completely up to you,” she reassured.

“Why is it up to me?” Alex was confused by her easiness of allowing him to choose whether they have a child or not. He felt Dahlia shrug.

“Because I’ve had a child. Sometimes I want another. But I don’t want to be on the other side of thirty-five and having my life revolve around my desire for a baby. Especially if you decide that you don’t want one. Honestly, if it were up to me, we’d decide at some point in the future for me to take a pill break and just see what happens. I want to be happy that I’m pregnant, but not devastated that I’m not. Does that make sense?” Dahlia asked.

“Yes. Perfect sense. We can absolutely do that.” Alex was relieved. They were on the same page.

“You didn’t answer my question about the engravings,” Dahlia reminded.

“You started talking about babies. Of course I didn’t answer,” Alex teased. “I just figured it was their names or something. I think it’s Hebrew. My great-great grandmother was from Israel and moved to Prussia as a young girl. Miranda knows more about it. I just know that my great-great grandfather was a jeweler and fell in love with her. He made the ring for her. It took him a year or so the story says. He wanted it to be perfect.” He yawned. “I can ask Miranda tomorrow if she knows. She probably does.”

Dahlia really wanted to know what it said, but she’d be patient. She pressed herself tighter against Alex and felt her eyes droop. She wasn’t ready to go back to sleep quite yet. “Can we get married by the end of the year?”

Alex smiled. “Certainly. Just give me a couple hours notice and I’ll be there.” He tried to dodge the shove, but didn’t quite succeed. “I love you.”

“Love you, too.” Dahlia’s voice was muffled by his arm. “Is that too soon, do you think? I’m not fussy about details. I’d like the weather to be cooler.”

“I’d get married to you tomorrow,” Alex admitted. “I’d prefer as soon as we can throw something together.”

Dahlia was quiet for a minute. She was going to cry again and she didn’t want to. “What about Halloween? Callie would get a kick out of that. I could wear a super fancy black lace gown.”

“Can I wear a top hat?” Alex asked. He wasn’t sure if Dahlia was joking, but a Halloween wedding sounded awesome.

“Of course,” she agreed. “Oh! Maybe a blood-red lacy gown!”

Alex chuckled and rolled over to face her. “I want you to wear the scarf around your neck again. It looked beautiful on you.”

Dahlia blushed, but it was too dark to see. “Anything else you want me to wear?”

Alex reached down and dipped it into the crack of her bottom. “I might have some ideas. I think I’d like to carry it in my pocket along with the lube and then find a secluded place, and press it into you myself.” He dipped his finger in deeper, brushing over her hole. She was still wet from not a half hour before. “Yes. That’s exactly what I want to do.” He kissed her.

Dahlia hooked her leg over his hip inviting him to do whatever he wanted. She was sore, but she didn’t care.

“God, you’d let me again, wouldn’t you?” He cupped her full bottom with his hand.

“I’d let you do anything you wanted.” She arched her body towards him.

“Really?” He rolled on top of her and entered her easily. “You’d let me fuck you in your blood-red lacy gown? You’d bend over and let me push in a large butt plug into your pink bottom?”

Dahlia moaned. “I’d even get on my knees and suck you.”

Alex kept a slow pace, so he could talk. “In your dress? The one you’re going to be standing up in front of all our family and friends and exchanging our vows? Oh, yes. You’ll be sucking me before. I want to watch your swollen mouth as you pledge your honor and obedience. And you _will_ be pledging your obedience.” Alex moved his hand over to her clitoris and snapped his hips rapidly. This was going to be quick. After he tried his best not to collapse directly on her, he shifted over a bit more and brought his thumb to Dahlia’s mouth.

She bit down on his thumb and looked him straight in his tired eyes. “I can’t fucking wait.”

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ring.

**Chapter 12**

 

Is that Hebrew or some kind of Yiddish on the ring? What does it say?

It’s Hebrew. Bobi says it was the icing on the cake, really. It’s from Song of Solomon. It’s disgustingly romantic.

Seriously?

I’ll check.

It’s the beloved verse.

I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine?

Yes! That’s it. Since when are you an Old Testament scholar?

You would never believe me. Ask Dahlia later if you want. ;-)

Oh. Bobi’s rolling in her grave is what you’re saying?

That’s what I’m saying. :-D

 

Alex smiled. He thought maybe he’d be picking out a tux sooner rather than later.

 


	13. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Miranda

**Epilogue**

 

Nick was ushered into Miranda’s office by a short elderly woman. She seemed incongruent with a sex club, but what did he know? Maybe grannies were into kinky, too.

“Ms. Marchand will be with you shortly. Would you like something from the bar?” Granny had an Eartha Kitt voice. Nick didn’t know how to process that.

Nick stumbled over his words. “Um, no. I...I’m fine, thanks.”

“Very good, Mr. Jones. Have a seat.” She smiled, showing perfect, straight white teeth and closed the French doors behind her. 

Nick walked to the chairs in front of Miranda’s desk, but was momentarily frozen when he saw an array of sex toys on her desk. Well, he knew what some of them were, but a few he couldn’t quite comprehend. He picked up a large pink misshapen dildo, or what he thought was one and studied it with a clinical fascination. It was clearly phallic on one side, but curved strangely on the other.

Miranda walked in and covered her mouth to prevent a laugh from escaping. Nick was looking at one of her newest acquisitions with the same face as much of the staff. “It’s sort of like a strap-on, except no straps. It’s inserted, so that it gives the wearer stimulation as she’s using it.”

Nick couldn’t hide his horrified embarrassment, but he tried to play it off just the same. “I probably would have eventually figured that out. Is it popular among the lesbians?”

Miranda laughed softly and walked behind her desk. “Don’t know, yet. I assume so. It will probably be just as popular with the straight couples as well.” She sat and watched Nick’s blush deepen. She could tell he wanted to ask a question, but couldn’t bring himself to. She continued to smile. “This past year we’ve opened a sort of gift shop here. It’s been profitable. I get a box in every couple of weeks to peruse.” She pushed the objects to the side to make space. Nick was still holding the dildo. Miranda thought he might be gripping it kind of tight.

“So, what do you want to see?” Miranda asked in an amused voice. 

Nick didn’t seem to understand what she was asking. He felt ridiculous and all but dropped the toy on her desk. “Oh. Um...I’d like to see last years tax information first– ” He turned his head when he heard a knock at the door.

It was a delivery man carrying what smelled like Chinese. He watched Miranda get up and relieve the man of his delivery. She paid him and thanked him quickly with a genuine smile. “I ordered a late lunch for us. I didn’t know how long this would take and Dahlia told me what you liked.”

Nick wasn’t about to tell her that he’d planned on taking everything back home. “Thanks.” He was suddenly nervous. He didn’t really know how to behave around a woman, especially alone. He had a feeling that Dahlia was always more tolerant than she had reason to be. Maybe if he was silent.

“No problem. The least I could do is feed you.” Miranda quickly divvied up the containers born of years of practice. She hoped that didn’t seem pathetic. She used to cook. It was just easier not to. On occasion, Alex would ask for a family dish and she’d make a week’s worth of it. “What were you saying before? You needed last year’s...?”

“Yeah, and I’d like to get started plugging in your info for this year, so that it will all be done by the first week of January.” Nick opened his beef and broccoli and let out a tiny moan. He knew he had a ridiculous reaction to food, but there was no point hiding it.

Miranda stared at him openly as he made love to his food. She remembered his admiration for the pie the day before. She’d never seen anything like it. Nick intrigued her. He was tall and handsome and the baser part of herself considered him a challenge. He lived with a beautiful woman for years and wouldn’t crack. She wanted to crack him. But she knew that finding a man whom she could be herself with was next to impossible. She also knew that he probably wouldn’t be Nick Jones. She sighed and started on her lunch.

Nick knew he was being studied, but he wasn’t sure if he was brave enough to ask why. He was curious what Dahlia might have told Miranda about their relationship. He assumed Alex knew the whole truth and that didn’t bother him too much. He knew that she’d need to be honest with him. He found that he didn’t want to be known as cold, but he also didn’t want his medical issues to be spread about. Miranda was devastatingly beautiful to him and he wondered what he’d have to do to have someone like her.

They ate in companionable silence for a while until Miranda asked about Callie. She knew it would be a safe subject and she enjoyed watching his eyes light up as he talked about her.

“...as soon as she sees the ring on her mother’s finger, she’s going to want to plan the wedding.” Miranda caught only the last bit of what he said. Apparently she wasn’t immune to his looks. 

“She’ll be pleased, then? I know Alex wants Callie to accept him.” Miranda asked.

“Oh, definitely. The only reason Dahlia didn’t send Callie a picture of the ring was because she’d want to fly home today.” 

Miranda was pleased to see that Nick showed no signs of jealousy. “I’m glad Alex found someone.”

Nick nodded emphatically. “Dahlia found her perfect match. I’m still a little surprised that she approached you in the first place.”

Miranda’s eyes widened. “She told you about that?”

Nick laughed. “Yeah. I mean, she probably thought of how to skirt the truth, but I think sugar-coating it for Callie will be time consuming enough.”

“True,” Miranda conceded. “It’s just a pretty intimate confession, but you probably knew about her inclinations.” Miranda was fishing.

Nick nodded once. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what Dahlia had already revealed. “I wasn’t the right person to help her with that,” he hedged with a smirk. “You can’t get all my secrets out of me, yet.”

Yet. It was then that Miranda knew that there was more to Nick than she’d believed. She had an inkling the day before when she saw the photo of Alex and Dahlia that he was so proud of. He didn’t behave like someone who’d been left behind. She knew that Dahlia evaded the issue before when she’d said they weren’t attracted to each other because what she saw before her was a red-blooded male that was bringing out her instincts to ensnare and charm. She hadn’t felt that in a while. She found her curiosity was overwhelming, but she’d always been good at suppressing her impulsiveness. Alex wasn’t the only one on medication. “Fair enough. Don’t think I won’t try, though.” She poked her fork in his direction.

“I shall be very cross if you don’t,” Nick said without thinking. He was flirting. He didn’t know he was capable. He tracked back. “You seem to be supportive of Alex’s uh...of him,” he finished weakly.

Of course, Miranda thought, I’m hardly one to judge. She wasn’t about to tell Nick that, no matter how much she wanted to wear him down. “I think we all have our _things_ ,” she stressed. “His are just a little more taboo. I’m betting you even have some strange kinks. I’m betting it has to do with food.”

Nick laughed. “Maybe. What’re yours?” He instantly regretted asking and looked apologetic.

She laughed lightly to reassure him. She didn’t quite know what to say. She shrugged. “I’ve got a few odd things.” Boy did she ever. Odd was an understatement.

After a little over and hour of fleeting looks and Nick instructing Miranda on which papers to send to him, it was time for Miranda to get the club ready for the evening. Miranda thanked him and invited him back in a couple of days for lunch so that they could touch base. She made it sound professional, but she appreciated that he didn’t call her on it. She knew he could call or email. She found it promising that he’d agreed, but in the next thought wondered what she was doing. It was that second thought that had her pressed up against his back because she hadn’t been paying attention as they walked to the door.

She heard his sharp intake of breath and it froze her on the spot. She was nearly as tall as him and she felt a heady rush of arousal. “Sorry. Mind was elsewhere,” she said breathlessly. She stepped back, but only an inch. It had been years since she was this close to a man. It made her a bit light-headed.

Nick shifted his body sideways to open the door to her office and his whole right side pressed against her. He raised his hand automatically to her hip.

Miranda was tall and lean. And so warm. Her breasts were small, but she carried them confidently. Nick wanted to touch them and he had to consciously stop his hand from moving upward, but he wasn’t able to stop his body from turning completely into hers, or bringing up his other hand to rest on her other hip. He realized as soon as he was pressed against her and smelling her that he was hard. He had to clear his head. He dropped his hand and backed up, shaking his head, like he was coming free from a spell. He cleared his throat and met her eyes. They looked just as dazed as his own. “I’ll see you later.” He smiled at her disarmingly. He felt like he had the upper-hand and that was interesting. It gave him quite a boost.

“Later,” she echoed, dazzled. She watched him walk out the back of Dishabille. She wondered what the fuck just happened. She had no idea how to pursue this. She didn’t know if she had the courage. She had a feeling that she may not really have a conscious choice. If he had stayed pressed against her for a second more, she would have dropped to her knees. 

Maybe she could try to be happy with what he had to offer, if he would offer anything. She had a feeling he would. She also had a feeling that it would be fabulous. Yes. She would try. Maybe she could ease him into certain things if she brought dessert into the bedroom. Miranda smiled, realizing she was getting way ahead of herself, but knowing that Nick might not turn down her freaky requests if she was covered in chocolate sauce.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 (Morphoses) and Part 3 (Force Majeure) are available everywhere ebooks are sold. http://www.amazon.com/Arden-Aoide/e/B0097LOMDO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1


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